Churchill sells Ellis

Habersham000 · #1 07-17-2006, 08:50 PM

Wow....Churchill sells Ellis according to DRF. Ron Geary who is a retired Louisville businessman bought Ellis...I wounder if this will help Ellis Park, since Churchill didn't put as much effort into it as some of their other tracks....People betting with Twin Spires cards looks like they will now be getting 2 points per dollar instead of 4 haha

#2 07-17-2006, 10:04 PM

Could have called this months ago...they took a loss on the place but they have been wanting to sell that joint for YEARS.....

#3 07-17-2006, 10:14 PM

Yeah this was just a matter of time. This will free up some cash for their NYR bid. But Churchill will lobby the state for more racing dates. Churchill wants to go all the way until Turfway starts, then to Keeneland and back to Churchill and then to Turfway.

Habersham000 · #4 07-17-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eurobounce

Yeah this was just a matter of time. This will free up some cash for their NYR bid. But Churchill will lobby the state for more racing dates. Churchill wants to go all the way until Turfway starts, then to Keeneland and back to Churchill and then to Turfway.

If this was to happen it would really hurt Arlington....

JJP · #5 07-18-2006, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habersham000

If this was to happen it would really hurt Arlington....

I was thinking the same thing. I'd say Arlington might be the next up for sale, but Duchossois is one of the biggest CDI shareholders.

I'm not really sure why Ellis exists. Why not build a track somewhere where its going to be 95 degrees with 90% humidity, right on the Ohio River, in an area where there really isn't a massive population base? The idea really never made sense.

JJP · #6 07-18-2006, 09:17 AM

I see in the DRF that both are going to ask for July 4 racing dates (among others). What a nightmare. I hope the Kentucky Racing Commission is smart enough to not have them running simultaneously. They did it around 10 years ago when the meets overlapped and the bettors really got screwed as all of Ellis' fields were small and CD's field sizes were also hurt.

Crown@club · #7 07-18-2006, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJP

Why not build a track somewhere where its going to be 95 degrees with 90% humidity, right on the Ohio River, in an area where there really isn't a massive population base? The idea really never made sense.

"Sorry to step on your toes re: the Evansville area, but it is NOT anywhere as big as Cincinnati, St. Louis or Louisville, which house the tracks you said you thought I should've wanted to close."

Hey, you made the comment about the 95 degree weather with 90% humidity.

Its big enough to house and been doing so since 1922. CD got what they wanted. They got the 4th of July, now they sold it. Too bad the new owners wants to race on the 4th again.

I, myself would prefer 2 weeks of turf racing, and then use it as a training center, along with keeping the simulcast for the rest of the year

ForestofWonders · #8 07-18-2006, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habersham000

Wow....Churchill sells Ellis according to DRF. Ron Geary who is a retired Louisville businessman bought Ellis...I wounder if this will help Ellis Park, since Churchill didn't put as much effort into it as some of their other tracks....People betting with Twin Spires cards looks like they will now be getting 2 points per dollar instead of 4 haha

Please, pray tell, what effort would that be?