The track creates about $1 million in tax revenue for Arlington Heights. That\u2019s not an insignificant amount for a community with a $177 million budget, but Hayes said there\u2019s more to the relationship between the track and community than just money.<\/p>\n
However, civic leaders are at least bracing for a future where that relationship\u2019s over, even as they hope it continues.<\/p>\n
Certainly, we are starting to look at possibilities for redevelopment of the area,\u201d Hayes told Casino.org<\/em>. \u201cOf course, it’s all not owned by the Village of Arlington Heights, so we could only do so much to encourage certain types of development on that property. But that’s kind of a last resort. We’re certainly hoping that the racetrack will stay there for many years to come.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\u201cI think that if it were to be redeveloped, we might see actually more direct financial income and benefit from something other than a racetrack there. But the racetrack means so much more to us than direct financial benefit because it is our largest employer. It is our largest attraction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking at Options to Keep Arlington Viable<\/h2>\n As someone in the middle of the fight, Hayes sees points on both sides.<\/p>\n
He would like to see the higher purses that the horsemen want, as it would lead to a higher quality of racing at the track, which dates back nearly a century. However, he can understand why Churchill Downs, which owns a majority stake in the nearby Rivers Des Plaines casino, chose not to pursue a casino license, as he could drive 15 minutes from his office in the Village Hall and be at Rivers.<\/p>\n
Hayes has said he\u2019s had a chance to talk with Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen on a few occasions about Arlington International\u2019s long-term viability.<\/p>\n
\u201cI certainly understand their business decisions, but I would hope that they would again be mindful of what it would take to ensure that Arlington Park stays open for many years to come,\u201d said Hayes.<\/p>\n
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The mayor added that he didn’t care who owned the track as long as they were invested in keeping Arlington open. Reports have circulated that a couple of groups have considered making an offer on Arlington International.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
What would improve the odds for Arlington\u2019s long-term health is additional revenue, Hayes said. That could be from revenue sharing with existing casinos and racetracks.<\/p>\n
It also could come from revisions to the expanded gaming law that Illinois lawmakers passed last year. When Churchill Downs announced last year it would not pursue a casino at Arlington, it cited the tax structure<\/a> under the law as its reason why it didn\u2019t seek a license for up to 1,200 slot machines and table games.<\/p>\nHayes said he does believe there\u2019s a willingness from state lawmakers to revisit that law, as it’s affected more than just Arlington International.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that the buy-in was steep, and so we have certainly expressed a concern about that,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cAnd I know our local legislators were receptive to looking at ways to make it a little more friendly to existing businesses, because they want to see the track stay open as well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The village of Arlington Heights, Ill., embraces horse racing. So much so that the town\u2019s seal incorporates a horse\u2019s head into the “A” for the city, a symbol of its relationship with Arlington International Racecourse. Mayor Tom Hayes has been a city official in the Chicago suburb for nearly 30 years, and he said talk […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":124879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33810,14577],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Arlington Heights Mayor Retains Hope Historic Illinois Track Stays Open<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n