Illinois Racing Board Chairman Dan Beiser acknowledged Churchill Downs Inc.’s departure from Arlington International Racecourse created a “dramatic effect” on horse racing, but he also struck an optimistic tone looking forward, as plans continue for the state’s two remaining racetracks to expand into racinos.

CDI’s decision to leave Illinois for horse racing — it is trying to finalize a sale of the Arlington property to the Chicago Bears for $197.2 million — was the last ripple from a series of events over the past few years that have yet to truly settle. To fill Arlington’s void, Hawthorne Race Course in the Chicago suburbs of Stickney will have a greatly expanded race schedule for the second consecutive year in 2023, while FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing (formerly Fairmount Park) on the other side of the state near the Missouri border shuffled its race dates to grow economic viability.