The bidding period closed June 15 for Churchill Downs Inc.’s Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Illinois, one of the state’s three remaining racetracks. . Churchill Downs officials said they received “strong proposals from numerous parties” interested in purchasing the historic 93-year-old property.
The most interesting bid came from the NFL’s Chicago Bears, which have been looking for a site to build a new stadium after spending years at Soldier Field in downtown Chicago. That stadium we renovated in 2002, but has the fewest seats in the NFL.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed the bid as “leverage.” She told the Chicago Tribune that the bid is “clearly a negotiating tactic that the Bears have used before.” The Bears have been pushing for a further renovation for Soldier Field. The team has played there since 1971 and has a lease with Chicago through 2033.
Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes says his village would welcome the Bears.
“(Arlington Park) is a one-of-a-kind location,” he said, “and we are glad that the Bears ownership sees its tremendous potential. The village will be working with the listing broker to closely review proposals by all potential users in the coming months. Whether the final purchaser is the Chicago Bears or someone else, our goal is to determine which concept will be most beneficial to Arlington Heights from a long-term economic and community-development perspective.”
A spokesman for Churchill Downs declined to say how many proposals were submitted. But Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes said he had met with “less than 10” possible bidding groups prior to the deadline. Only one of those, led by former Arlington Park President Roy Arnold, has gone public with an offer that would keep horse racing going past September 25.
Churchill Downs shocked the state’s horseracing industry in the summer of 2019 when it announced it would not allow Arlington to become a racino, even though it previously had fought hard to do just that. Horse owners and trainers who run at the track considered the move a major betrayal and accused Churchill Downs of trying to stifle competition against its Rivers Casino in Des Plaines.
Churchill Downs officials denied the track would be sold, but put out the for-sale sign in February. As a result, the Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association urged Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office to open an antitrust investigation into the corporation for alleged “efforts to neutralize the threat of major gaming competition.”
Arnold’s bidding group said they would turn Arlington into a racino “consistent with the intent” of the state’s 2019 gambling expansion, and also keep running races well into the future. The group led by Arnold, a hospitality consultant who served as president of Arlington from 2006-11, also includes the Loop development firm Sterling Bay and other “high net worth individuals,” he said. Arnold stated, “We have the capital and the passion to make thoroughbred racing work at Arlington Park. We look forward to continuing the legacy that is Arlington.” Arnold did not disclose the group’s offer price for the 326-acre property.
His group’s plans also include a mid-size arena “suitable to host a minor league hockey team,” he said, plus an entertainment district, 300-unit housing development and 60 acres of industrial space.
In May, Arlington Park board members passed an ordinance banning certain uses for the property, including warehouses, distribution facilities, gas stations and Hayes said, “adult uses and other things that are not befitting our community and the legacy of the property.”
He continued, “Arlington Park has been a big part of our community for almost 100 years. We have a horse head on our village flag. It’s a huge part of our community from an image, an attraction and an employment standpoint. We want to see it put to its highest and best use.”
