Chicago, IL – The Illinois Racing Board at its Sept. 16 meeting ruled that the requests for 2027 racing licenses for Hawthorne Race Course and Suburban Downs, its related Standardbred racing entity, were deficient and not in compliance with the Illinois Racing Act.
Hawthorne, which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and had its Suburban Downs license suspended, applied to the IRB for an unspecified number of Thoroughbred and Standardbred dates for 2027. This summer, the track was sold for $90 million to a developer with no intention to continue live racing at the site, and the Thoroughbred meet ended with about three months remaining. The entity has no location to hold racing in 2027.
Hawthorne, under its 2026 Thoroughbred license, continues to operate a network of off-track wagering locations in the Chicago area despite the bankruptcy proceedings that are ongoing. The license expires December 31.
The IRB did approve a request from Fairmount Park for 73 Thoroughbred racing programs for 2027, up from the 59 requested for this year. The facility currently has a temporary slot machine casino—the permanent one is under construction—that contributes more than 12% of gaming revenue to purses.
The Illinois General Assembly passed racetrack gaming legislation in 2019. Both tracks were slow to act, but Fairmount finally did after it was sold to Accel Entertainment in 2024. Hawthorne gutted its grandstand early in the process but never found a casino partner. Arlington Park also was eligible for a license, but owner Churchill Downs Inc. opted not to pursue it and sold the property for redevelopment that has not yet occurred.
Racing-related legislation is expected to be considered at the upcoming fall veto session of the Illinois General Assembly. The outstanding issues include a license for a slots casino and harness track in the Decatur area; removing legislature language that basically gives Hawthorne control of a potential casino and harness track in Cook County; and a language regarding operation of off-track wagering outlets.
Fairmount Park currently has three OTB operations but is granted a maximum of nine; three are in the pipeline. Vince Gabbert, who manages racing at Fairmount, told the IRB the track is limited by a 160-mile radius and would be interested in obtaining northern Illinois locations given the fact they currently contribute millions of dollars in revenue.
The Illinois State Fair at Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair, which fall under the Department of Agriculture, will announce their harness racing schedules early next year.
No one signed up to make public comments at the IRB meeting.
To read the press release from the Illinois Racing Board, click here.