In the backstretch of the legislative session, horse racing advocates are pushing to revitalize the industry in Illinois and its accompanying horse betting, both long in decline.
City officials from Decatur and Illinois horse racing advocates joined an effort this week by Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, to push lawmakers to approve legislation intended to revive a long-stalled south suburban “racino” and open a path for a new racetrack and gaming facility in Decatur.
Joyce’s bill, Senate Bill 1473, would undo part of a 2019 law that gave Hawthorne Race Course, a gambling course in Stickney, authority to veto other racecourse developments within 35 miles surrounding their suburban Chicago location.
