Turfway Moves to 'Plan B' on Historical Racing

After no significant move forward on a $25 million plan to renovate the grandstand and install historical racing machines, Turfway Park unveiled a less daring plan Dec. 11 that would aim to have 350 machines up and running by June.

Turfway Park general manager Chip Bach outlined the new plan to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission during the regulator's regular meeting Tuesday at Kentucky Horse Park. Bach didn't put a price tag on the new plan, which he said would see machines installed on the ground floor with a revamped entryway that would see new paint and awnings.

Bach said the original plan, which was presented to the commission in February 2018 and included a $25 million grandstand renovation that would effectively see the second floor become the entry way, has not been abandoned but will now be considered phase 2 of the project.

The racing commissioners approved the new plan but not before voicing a number of concerns about the lack of action on the first plan, not to mention the lack of installing the 250 machines that Turfway was approved for in December 2015. They also said Turfway's progress will be monitored on the smaller plan and inaction by the next KHRC regular meeting in February could jeopardize the track's historical racing license.

KHRC chairman Frank Kling Jr. suggested that the inaction could be explained as track owner JACK Entertainment protecting "its southern flank." JACK Entertainment also owns the JACK Cincinnati Casino.

KHRC vice chaiman Mark Simendinger, a former Turfway Park president who now serves as general manager of the motor speedway Kentucky Speedway, vocally expressed his frustration with the inaction, noting it's hurting horsemen.

"It puts me in a bad position. I want to make decisions that support Kentucky racing and Turfway Park—God knows they need it," Simendinger said. "The fact is, they're being held hostage by the casino in Cincinnati."

Simendinger said he saw no significant facility upgrades in the current plan, which he said could negatively impact the chance of success for the historical racing machines, which base winning combinations on previously run horse races and payouts on a pari-mutuel formula.

"Now we don't even get the proposal we got last time," Simendinger said. "You have this new product and you're putting it in the worst environment."

Simendinger said the interest in the Oak Grove harness racing license shows that perhaps if JACK Entertainment isn't willing to move forward on historical gaming, there could be other owners out there who are interested. Turfway does face regional gaming competition from the casino in Cincinnati and slot machines at Belterra Park.

Bach said the new plan aims to expedite the launch of the machines and while it won't include the facility upgrade outlined in February, they project the machines to generate enough handle to allow for a 41% increase in Turfway purses. 

He said the plan would be to put 350 historical racing games on one side of the bottom floor with the other side devoted to seating for live racing and simulcast wagering. He said the track would request its approval for 250 games be increased to 350. He said the new historical gaming facility would allow smoking, which is not allowed at the Cincinnati casino. 

An earlier edition of this story incorrectly referred to Belterra Park as River Downs.