Churchill Downs has announced plans to open a new historical racing machine (HRM) entertainment venue in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Named Derby City Gaming Downtown, the new venue will be located at 140 South 4th Street and will generate 350 construction jobs and 100 permanent jobs.
It will house 500 HRMs, an open-air gaming area and will have 200 parking spaces onsite.
The venue will also feature a main-level sports bar along with a bourbon library and a wine and charcuterie lounge.
“CDI is committed to investing in the city of Louisville and today we are particularly excited to announce this new downtown entertainment venue,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Church Downs.
“Our HRM expansion will be a win for the entire community in the Louisville area and will create $10m to $12m per year in additional purse money for Churchill Downs Racetrack.”
Work on the facility is set to begin by the end of 2021, and is projected to open in 2023.
Meanwhile, Church Downs’ Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, along with 12 of its 15 Off-Track Betting (OTB) venues in Louisiana, have reopened after suffering damage during Hurricane Ida.
The Fair Grounds course and eight of the OTB venues reopened by September 30, while the four remining OTBs reopened between September 20 and September 26.
In addition, Churchill Down has pledged $1m to the West End Opportunity Partnership, which is an initiative that aims to generate economic development in the West End neighborhoods of Shawnee, Portland, Russell, Chickasaw, Parkland, California, Park Hill, Park Duvalle and Algonquin.
“I commend the leadership at Churchill Downs for taking this meaningful step in support of the West End Opportunity Partnership and for encouraging other local corporate citizens to follow suit,” said Gerald Neal, Kentucky State Senator.
“By taking action to address the inequities and disparities in our local communities, we are helping to make our Commonwealth a better place for all Kentuckians.”
Earlier this week, Churchill Downs sold its Arlington Racecourse site to NFL side Chicago Bears for $200m.