Village Votes To 'Keep Door Open' For Horse Racing At Racetrack

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — With a June deadline for developers to submit proposals to owner Churchill Downs Inc. regarding their future plans at Arlington International Racecourse looming, the Village of Arlington Heights is officially weighing in on the proceedings. The Village Board unanimously approved a resolution and ordinance Monday night that indicate a desire to potentially have horse racing remain at the racetrack.

"We [the board] are looking to put the property at its highest and best use. Everything remains on the table," Mayor Tom Hayes said. "We are taking these actions this evening to ensure that the possibility of horse racing remains on the table. Nothing is excluded at this point other than certain uses that we don't want to see there."

Opening Day for a 68-day meet at Arlington kicked off last Friday in what could be the final season of racing at the flagship racetrack for horse racing in Illinois. The 326-acre property was put up for sale in February by the Kentucky-based CDI.

The resolution passed Monday night, which involves changes to future zoning at Arlington, including the creation of an overlay zoning district on the property, prohibits Churchill from using the land for the following businesses:

• Adult business
• Agricultural implement sales and service
• Antenna commercial
• Antenna non-commercial
• Auto car wash
• Auto service station
• Building material sales
• Contractor office and design showroom
• Currency exchanges
• Electrical equipment sales
• Fairgrounds kiddie parks
• Funeral parlor, mortuary
• Laundry dry cleaning up to 5,000 square feet
• Machinery sales and service
• Monuments sales
• Motor vehicle repair major and minor
• Pawn shop cash converter
• Recreational vehicles and boats, sales/supplies
• Repair, minor
• Secondhand store
• Sign painting shop
• Tool and die shop
• Wholesale offices (including warehouses and storerooms)

The resolution, according to the Village, puts prospective purchasers and the public on notice that the Village intends to make changes to the zoning, subdivision code or other regulations.

"We're trying to attract really serious investors that want to redevelop this very prime piece of real estate to something that's befitting of our community and the region," Hayes said.

The passed ordinance — an amendment to Chapter 8 of the municipal code — prevents Churchill from selling the property to owners that would potentially bar future gaming and horse racing at the location. CDI is reportedly hoping to relocate Arlington's racing license to another community in the Chicagoland area or elsewhere in the state.

Rivers Casino, located in Des Plaines, is majority-owned by CDI.

"Sometimes when you think about something at its most basic level, it's kind of like the grocery store that gets abandoned by its grocer and yet they put a restriction that the space cannot be filled with any other grocery stores," Trustee Robin LaBedz said. "We want to make sure when this property is sold that there is still a possibility of horse racing here."

RELATED:

• Mayor Thinks Bears Could Be Good Fit For Arlington Racetrack
• Arlington Racetrack Releases Stakes Schedule For Final Season
• 'Sad Day' In Arlington Heights As Racetrack Goes Up For Sale

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