Churchill Downs completes $79M purchase of Ellis Park

Churchill Downs Incorporated announced the company has completed its purchase of Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson for $79 million. 

CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a release that their team is already at work in Henderson and Owensboro to improve the infrastructure at the track, and improve purses through the addition of historical racing machines.

Approval of the transaction was already granted by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. 

Ellis Park celebrated 100 years of thoroughbred racing this year. Ellis Park also features a gaming venue with approximately 300 historical racing machines.

Churchill Downs Incorporated, meanwhile, is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by its iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. CDI operates five gaming entertainment venues with approximately 4,200 historical racing machines in Kentucky. 

CDI owns the TwinSpires online wagering platform for horse racing in the United States and it has eight online sportsbooks. CDI is also has brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with 11,800 slot machines and 250 table games.



(Photo Ellis Park Facebook)