A motion to issue an intertrack wagering license to Churchill Downs Inc. for the 2022 racing season failed to pass at last Thursday’s Illinois Racing Board meeting, leaving the racing and gaming company on the outside looking in for off-track betting in the state.
The 5-5 vote added another layer to what have been at times fractious and contentious dealings with Churchill Downs, which entered a purchase agreement to sell the parcel of land in Arlington Heights where Arlington International Racecourse is located to the Chicago Bears for $196.2 million in late September. Arlington Park did not submit a race schedule for the 2022 season and there will be no racing at the track for the foreseeable future.
