In Louisville, Gregory Hall reports Churchill Downs "will race next September under a compromise" announced yesterday by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission that also involves Kentucky Downs, which also races during the month. Under the compromise, "brokered with the involvement of the commission, each track will race fewer dates than requested and directly overlap only two days -- as they have the last two years." Churchill initially said that it "wouldn't race in September if Kentucky Downs in Franklin overlapped at all." Churchill will race 11 days "instead of the 12 this year -- but will get a larger share of simulcasting revenues by being designated as the host track for the bulk of the month." Kentucky Downs "had six host days this year and sought to expand that next year" (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 10/16).
THE TIME IS RIGHT: In Chicago, Jack McCarthy noted DePaul Univ. officials are "still targeting a winter groundbreaking for a planned" $173M McCormick Place arena for the school's basketball teams. Site clearing is "underway and infrastructure work will follow for the arena" which is "expected to take around 22 months to complete." DePaul AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto said that the university "recently extended its agreement with Allstate Arena through the 2016 season with some flexibility beyond" (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 10/15).
EVEN MONEY: In Las Vegas, Alan Snel notes City Manager Betsy Fretwell told the city council yesterday that there has been "no progress" with Cordish Cos. and Findlay Sports & Entertainment in the past two weeks in regard to "taking on a third partner to privatize financing for a proposed downtown soccer stadium so that public dollars are not used." N.Y.-based SpringOwl Asset Management co-CEO Jason Ader said that he would be "interested in partnering with Cordish/Findlay, and has discussed the prospect of joining the group" with reps from both companies (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 10/16).
SAVINGS PLAN: In Missouri, Jeff Fox noted Jackson County (Mo.) is "refinancing the 2006 bonds issued to renovate Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums, with the aim of saving close" to $32M and "reducing the taxpayers’ overall load for stadium expenses." Cox noted they "approved the measure unanimously." Now the county is "refinancing" $351M in bonds, going from 4.8% interest to 3.1%. It "saves the county" $31.47M by the time the bonds are "fully paid off" in '31. That "works out to an average" of $1.8M a year (EXAMINER.net, 10/14).
