The Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association (IHHA) is calling for lawmakers to end Hawthorne Race Course’s power to veto any proposal to build a harness racino within 35 miles of its Cicero location.
The move is in response to Hawthorne’s failure to build a racino as promised under sweeping gambling legislation passed in 2019, which gave the racetrack its sole veto ability.
The horsemen said Hawthorne’s lack of action has had a devastating effect on their industry. Top harness driver and trainer Casey Leonard said purses have dropped by 75 percent in the last decade while racinos in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky are generating millions in gaming tax revenue.
IHHA President Jeff Davis said the time has come to let the free market build a racino. According to the Chicago Tribune, he said, “Our industry is being held hostage by Tim Carey’s family, who owns Hawthorne. We have to have a dedicated harness track. We don’t have any more time to wait. The time has run out.”
Prior to the passage of the gaming law, in 2019 Tim Carey proposed a new south suburban harness track in Tinley Park, in a partnership with Gold Rush Amusement video gaming owner Rick Heidner. However, a Tribune investigation into the project’s funding led Gov. J.B. Pritzker to cancel the sale of state-owned land for the site.
In 2021, Carey proposed a $400 million racino at Hawthorne. In 2022, he said construction would begin that year. Last fall, Carey told the Illinois Racing Board the Hawthorne racino would open by the end of 2024; in February, he said he was still trying to arrange financing.
In a statement Hawthorne said, “We remain fully committed to developing a new harness track to complement racing at Hawthorne, as was intended in the legislation. We are the only Illinois business with the proven experience, integrity and wherewithal to do so. Our $400 million redevelopment of Hawthorne is the most significant investment ever made into the Illinois racing industry and is the beginning of an exciting new future for the tens of thousands of jobs that we support across the state.”
Meanwhile, Hawthorne depends on the $11 million the Careys have paid into purses.
Under state law, seven townships in southwest Cook County are eligible for the one harness racetrack casino license. Last year, Greenway Entertainment Group proposed a harness track in Richton Park plus ending Hawthorne’s veto power. This spring, businessman Ronald Awsumb proposed a thoroughbred track also in Richton Park but industry sources said state law may not permit that. However, Hawthorne officials said they have not been approached by any legitimate developers opening a racino within 35 miles.
The IHHA has sought to have Hawthorne find investors for a racino or open a temporary facility like Waukegan and Rockford have done. Carey said he “very easily” could have installed slots at Hawthorne, but he wanted to focus on racing, not gaming.
Observers acknowledge the Carey family has kept racing going in Illinois following Churchill Downs Inc.’s closure of Arlington International Racecourse in September 2021. Hawthorne offers standardbred horse racing in the fall and winter, while thoroughbreds get the prime dates in spring and summer; industry sources note thoroughbred racing generates much more revenue than harness racing.
