SPRINGFIELD — 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. At the same time, it would make way to build a new racecourse in Decatur. The proposed development would include grandstands, a sports complex, hotels, restaurants, a gaming facility and a training center.
As video gambling soared in popularity, Illinois in 2019 tied horse gambling to its success by issuing new casino licenses for exclusively joint horse racing-casino ventures — so-called “racinos.” Advocates say the revenue from video gambling helps incentivise participation in the horse racing industry by providing for larger payouts..
“The amount of people that feed (horses), train them, auto lock them, the veterinarians, blacksmiths. … There’s a lot of employment that goes along with these tracks,” Joyce said at a Senate Executive Committee hearing Wednesday. “Illinois used to be a powerhouse in harness racing and horse breeding.”
Despite the 2019 law and repeated promises from Hawthorne’s president, Tim Carey, the company has yet to begin development on its racino. Representatives said the track has been unable to secure financing.
The Decatur facility advocates want to move forward with private funding.
“A project of this scope and magnitude would be trailblazing for Decatur and our surrounding communities. It’s time for central Illinois, with the help of our local and state leaders, to be at the forefront of reviving this industry,” said Nicole Bateman, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur-Macon County.
Joyce’s bill has received blowback from small businesses in Decatur, who fear a “racino” of this scale might oversaturate the town’s already thriving gambling market.
Rep. Brad Stephens, R-Rosemont, said he’s concerned the projected growth associated with allowing gambling terminals at horse tracks might come at the expense of Illinois’ growing video gambling industry:
“Are we just cannibalizing one industry for another?” Stephens asked.
The bill has received nearly 300 witness slips in opposition, many coming from small businesses in Decatur, compared with about 1,000 witness slips in support. Much of the Decatur opposition stems from business owners who rely on revenue from video gaming terminals and worry that a nearby racino would draw gamblers away from their businesses.
Jeff Davis, president of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association, countered that casinos and video gambling attract different customers, so he expects the proposed development in Decatur won’t affect local businesses with video gambling machines.
Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, indicated frustration at Wednesday’s hearing that Hawthorne Race Course has for too long failed to attract investment in its racecourse/casino development plans.
“How long do we give you? 10, 20, 30 years?” Harmon asked a Hawthorne representative at the hearing before voting for the bill’s passage in committee.
At a news conference Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker said that while he’s enthusiastic about any exurban or rural development program, he has yet to take a position on this bill.
Joyce has been working on similar initiatives to support Illinois’ horse betting industry for years. While debate might still drag into the summer, the senator holds hope for the bill to pass this session, which ends Saturday.
Problem gambling has been recognized by medical experts as a health concern, and video gambling machines, in particular, have been called one of the most harmful forms of gambling at an individual level, especially for gambling addicts.
With or without the video gambling industry, the horse-racing industry faces many economic headwinds and a dwindling fanbase.
Some animal rights organizations believe the industry’s declining support is linked to a growing concern for the horses’ safety.
“The American public has decided that it no longer wishes to support entertainment in which animals die,” said Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president of PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Both New York and Florida’s legislatures have considered decoupling the race-horsing and video-gambling industries this year, but so far neither has done so.
Advocates in Illinois, meanwhile, predicted the industry would see a resurgence in Illinois if the legislation authorizing new tracks clears the General Assembly.
Simon Carr is a student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, and a fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
