Horsemen call for end to Hawthorne’s veto power
Want state to remove race course’s monopoly for harness track with casino
Illinois enacted a sweeping law in 2019 to allow casinos at horse racing tracks, known as racinos. Nearly five years later, Hawthorne Race Course, a main beneficiary of the legislation, still hasn’t opened a racino. In the meantime, the industry is dying for lack of money.
Part of that legislation gave Hawthorne officials an extraordinary monopoly: They have the sole power to veto any proposal to build a harness track with a casino within 35 miles.
Out of desperation, the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association is now calling for the state to end Hawthorne’s veto power. The horsemen say the favoritism for Hawthorne has led to a dead end, and it’s time to let the free market finally build a racino.
“Our industry is being held hostage by Tim Carey’s family, who owns Hawthorne,” association President Jeff Davis said. “We have to have a dedicated harness track.”
Carey proposed a $400 million racino to open at Hawthorne in 2021. In 2022, he again promised construction would begin that year. Last fall, Carey told the Illinois Racing Board it would open by the end of 2024, but in February, he said he was still working on getting financing.
Asked for an update, Hawthorne issued a statement:
“We remain fully committed to developing a new harness track to complement racing at Hawthorne, as was intended in the legislation. We are the only Illinois business with the proven experience, integrity and wherewithal to do so. Our $400 million redevelopment of Hawthorne is the most significant investment ever made into the Illinois racing industry and is the beginning of an exciting new future for the tens of thousands of jobs that we support across the state.”