Turfway plans $25M remodel, new gambling machines to bet on historical races

Turfway Park in Florence is planning a $25 million remodel of the grandstand at the thoroughbred racetrack.

Also coming: new games and extended operations once the renovation is complete.

The racetrack recently allocated $500,000 for architectural drawings and engineering plans to overhaul its five-story, fully enclosed grandstand, according to General Manager Chip Bach, who presented the plan to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday.

Racetrack officials will review the plans before establishing a timetable for construction, but Bach said a facilities upgrade at the racetrack built in 1959 is long overdue.

"The facility is showing its age, and we want to make a better presentation from the outside,'' he said. "But there are a lot of Gremlins here, so we want to make sure we’ve identified everything we need to do with regard to the facility before we can get a start date for construction.''

The makeover is likely to include a revamped entrance, modern restrooms and other accommodations as well as dedicating part of the second floor of the grandstand for historical racing games.

Historical racing games are horse-race betting machines similar to slot machines that allow players to place bets on replays of horse races that have already been run.

The date and place of the pre-recorded races and the names of horses and jockeys remain secret until after the bet is placed.

In Kentucky, both Churchill Downs in Louisville and Keeneland racetrack in Lexington have historical racing games, which are expected to be another profitable draw at Turfway that will allow the local racetrack to stay open more days, Bach said.

"Revenue from historical horse racing will support our (thoroughbred) racing product...and also allow us to be open seven days a week versus five,'' Bach said.

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