(Artist rendering of a proposed racetrack for Oak Grove, KY, as requested by a consortium of Keeneland and Churchill Downs / Photo Courtesy of Keeneland-Churchill Downs)

As expected, and as “The Pressbox” fully reported in a breaking news account last week, both the ownership teams at Kentucky Downs, which now operates a live Thoroughbred racing facility in Franklin, KY., and Caesar’s Entertainment, which owns and operates a live Standardbred operation known as Bluegrass Downs in Paducah, KY., have filed applications to build, own and operate a new racetrack in or near Oak Grove, KY.

The two new licenses were received on Monday, the final day for submitting live dates for 2019 and the last day for the receipt of the new racing applications. According to officials at the Kentucky Racing Commission, the Caesar’s application was receive when the offices opened very early Monday morning, and the Kentucky Downs application was received later in the day.

About three weeks ago, the Kentucky Racing Commission announced that it would begin receiving applications for newly proposed tracks in the Commonwealth, and would take those applications under consideration at the same time it does live race dates.

The new applications now gives the Kentucky Racing Commission three applications to consider for the same proposed locale in Southwest Kentucky, and near the Fort Campbell installation campus along the Tennessee border.

Privously, and over a year ago, a new consortium created between historic Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, and the prestigious Churchill Downs, Incorporated, the home of the Kentucky Derby, presented the Commission with a formal application to build, own, and operate two new racetracks.

One of those applications was for a new racetrack to be built near or around the City of Corbin in Southeast Kentucky. We have since learned, though, that the two tracks may have asked for a delay for this racing application.

(Property use plan as proposed by Keeneland-Churchill Downs for Oak Grove)

The second of those applications was for a $125 million racetrack and Historical Racing venue in Oak Grove. Just a couple of weeks ago, the Keeneland-Churchill Downs team formally requested about two weeks worth of Standardbred race dates to be considered and issued by the Kentucky Racing Commission for that new license in 2019. Under that proposal, the new entity requested that the dates be issued along with the new license, and to allow the dates to be run in 2018 at the former Louisville Downs Race Track on Popular Level Road and near Churchill Downs.

Prior to that track being sold to Churchill Downs in 1991, Louisville Downs was a harness race track owned by William King. And, it was one of the most innovative and progressive Standardbred racing venues in the country. After the sell, though, Churchill Downs converted the former venue into a Thoroughbred training center — which is still maintained today.

(The entrance to Derby City Gaming / Photo by Gene McLean)

The former Louisville Downs property is also the new home of “Derby City Gaming.” This is Churchill Downs’ newest and latest addition and showplace. The new facility is the home for Churchill Downs’ Historical Racing operation, and the multi-million dollar complex currently provides for over 900 machines, two restaurant venues, and upscale drink and bar options.

It is not known when the Kentucky Racing Commission will begin deliberations or discussions about the new license applications. The Commission is currently in the process of setting up Committee and Commission dates in October for the consideration of live dates.

Race dates for 2019 must be received at the Commission offices on or before Oct. 1 and shall be issued by Nov. 1, according to Kentucky State Statues that govern the horse racing industry in the Commonwealth. If live dates are issued for Oak Grove in 2019 — or a temporary venue prior to a racetrack being constructed there — they will have to be assigned at the same time all live dates for all of Kentucky’s tracks are finalized.

(A proposed grandstand / clubhouse area for the Keeneland-Churchill Downs proposal / Rendering Courtesy of Keeneland-Churchill Downs)

Details of the Keeneland-Churchill Downs proposal for the Oak Grove license have been public for over a year now. Those plans call for the new business venture to spend approximately $125 million in infrastructure and other improvements to build a Standardbred racetrack, clubhouse, grandstand, and an upscale venue to be the locale for a Historical Racing operation.

In addition, the proposal also calls for build out of a commercial development, and other amenities as well.

Details of the two new proposals were not made public on Monday. At this time, it is not known whether Caesar’s Entertainment is proposing to build a new track in Oak Grove to replace the current one in Paducah, or if the proposed new location would be a totally new operation in addition to the facility in Paducah.

Again, official details of the new proposals were not made public on Monday. We will be endeavoring to find out more information, as it becomes available.