OAK GROVE, Ky. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Churchill Downs Incorporated, in partnership with Keeneland, will break ground Tuesday, April 9 at 10 a.m.on a $150 million, state-of-the-art, live and historical racing venue in Oak Grove.
The facility will feature up to 1,500 historical racing machines beginning in 2020; a 125-room hotel; a 1,200-person seated capacity grandstand and event space for indoor events; a 3,000-person capacity outdoor amphitheater and stage; and a state-of-the-art equestrian center including indoor and outdoor arenas.
Historical horse racing machines are lucrative betting terminals that allow people to bet on races that have already taken place. The games often are designed to play like slot machines, with the video of a horse race reduced to a few seconds shown in a small window if the player chooses.
Last December, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission awarded a license to CDI and Keeneland for 12 live Standardbred racing dates beginning in October 2019 at the venue.
The event will be held at Thomponsville Lane across from the Walmart entrance in Oak Grove.
According to a news release, the joint venture will create nearly 400 full and part-time jobs, as well as 800 temporary construction jobs. Churchill Downs will own 95 percent of the venture and Keeneland will own 5 percent.