Arlington memories

John Kelly

Born Gambler
Staff member
GRF could be the next home of the Chicago Fire.

The city of Chicago is close to being one-third white, one-third black and one-third brown.

The Hispanic population is booming in the Windy City.
 

blueline

EOG Master
from a week ago :

In a shocking report, Crain's Chicago Business reported the Bears' main stadium focus is now centered on constructing a stadium on the South Lot of Soldier Field, not on the $197.2 million property they purchased in Arlington Heights.


Crain's report suggests the stadium would likely remain, however.

"And if I read the tea leaves right, Soldier Field would be largely converted to public parks and athletic fields, a step that could ease legal difficulties over building on the lakefront," Hinz wrote.


Hinz also reported one insider told him "We know the Soldier Field area can work."
 

John Kelly

Born Gambler
Staff member
Any chance FanDuel can purchase the Bears site in Arlington Heights and build a state-of-the-art racetrack and world headquarters on the old grounds?

I want to take the train to Arlington again.
 

blueline

EOG Master
Any chance FanDuel can purchase the Bears site in Arlington Heights and build a state-of-the-art racetrack and world headquarters on the old grounds?

I want to take the train to Arlington again.

thats been my under the radar possibility....the site is licensed for a 5000 machine racino type of place
 

Valuist

EOG Master
Any chance FanDuel can purchase the Bears site in Arlington Heights and build a state-of-the-art racetrack and world headquarters on the old grounds?

I want to take the train to Arlington again.

By "state of the art" do you mean a significantly smaller facility? The last place was definitely state of the art, and giant as well. Look at how Gulfstream downsized their grandstand. Don't need a big grandstrand. Would love to see a tent meet again like in 1987.
 

blueline

EOG Master

Golden Gate last day June 9
good article...laat 2 paragraphs

:
"As a building, Hollywood Park is nothing special. But as a place where the culture of Thoroughbred racing could be found, since 1938, Hollywood has been home sweet home, and with the loss and leveling of Hollywood Park, racing's sense of place takes a terrible hit."

I will not insult the reader with a Golden Gate variation on those themes. Just know that after 78 uninterrupted years of service as a source of both security and entertainment for its various constituencies, the place deserved to be in better hands, and enjoyed a kinder fate.
 

2W2P2S

EOG Dedicated

Golden Gate last day June 9
good article...laat 2 paragraphs

:
"As a building, Hollywood Park is nothing special. But as a place where the culture of Thoroughbred racing could be found, since 1938, Hollywood has been home sweet home, and with the loss and leveling of Hollywood Park, racing's sense of place takes a terrible hit."

I will not insult the reader with a Golden Gate variation on those themes. Just know that after 78 uninterrupted years of service as a source of both security and entertainment for its various constituencies, the place deserved to be in better hands, and enjoyed a kinder fate.
I spent the weekend up there a couple weeks ago to take it in before it shut down. It was an outstanding experience and beautiful track right on the bay.
 

blueline

EOG Master
I made it there for the 1st time earlier this year. Building had some issues but beautiful views and a comfortable place to attend live racing
 

blueline

EOG Master
who knew neil milbert was still around



by Neil Milbert

Once upon a time, many of the finest harness horses in North America came to Sportsman’s Park, Maywood Park and later Balmoral Park every spring and summer to compete in lucrative and prestigious races and the trainers and drivers based at these Chicago area tracks raced for robust purses six nights a week.

These days that all seems like a fairy tale.

Now, dual-purpose Hawthorne Race Course is the only track in the metropolitan area, there are no races of national importance and racing either two or three nights weekly during the coldest and snowiest months of the year is the new normal for the Illinois harness horsemen.

The Illinois Racing Board awarded 2025 dates on Thursday (Sept. 19) and Hawthorne was allotted a meager 40 harness programs, six fewer than this year’s number.

This year’s second meeting that is scheduled to begin Oct. 19 and continue through Dec. 30 will be extended from Jan. 4 through Feb. 23 with racing on Saturday and Sunday nights. Then, after an absence of more than eight months the standardbreds will return for a Nov. 7-Dec. 30 meeting with racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

In stark contrast, the thoroughbreds will have 80 programs, running from March 20-Nov. 3.
 

blueline

EOG Master
also from the article:

Large portions of the grandstand and clubhouse were torn down in 2020 in anticipation of construction. But, after assuring the board and horsemen’s organizations at every subsequent dates hearing that the debris would be cleared and the racino would be open by the end of the following year, Hawthorne president Tim Carey has been unable to deliver.

“We’ll believe it when we see it,” said Somone, who pointed out that the casinos in Chicago, Waukegan and Rockford that also were legalized in 2019, “all are operational in some way.

“Hawthorne already owns the land. Five years later the elephant in the room is: will they ever get financing? Horse racing in Illinois has gone backward because of the failure to go forward.”
 
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