After nearly three years in business, the off-track betting parlor in Buffalo Grove will be closing down after this weekend.
However, it will only be a matter of time before it opens up at another location in the village, officials hope.
The parlor operated by Hawthorne race Course at 1300 N. Milwaukee Ave. has been open in Buffalo Grove since the summer of 2009.
Turmoil struck when the property entered receivership in may 2011. The restaurant hosting the OTB, Adam's Roadhouse, closed that August, leaving patrons a dry betting experience.
"Once the roadhouse went out, the building was not conducive for any kind of business," said Buffalo Grove Village President Jeff Braiman.
Working alongside the village, Hawthorne decided to relocate within Buffalo Grove proposing to operate at Buffalo Grove Golf Course's restaurant, Village Bar & Grill, in February.
However, it reached a roadblock over the location's distance to Arlington Park. An OTB cannot operate within a five-mile radius of a race track, according to the Illinois Horse Racing Act.
Hawthorne recently filed a petition with the Illinois Racing Board to obtain a ruling on the proposed location's proximity to Arlington Park.
"This is unprecedented," Hawthorne Chief Financial Officer Jeff Kras told the Journal in an interview.
If Hawthorne receives a favorable ruling from the racing board, it will pursue opening an OTB at Village Bar & Grill, 48 Raupp Blvd., Kras said.
However, Hawthorne will most likely have to deactivate one of its other OTB licenses in order to operate in Buffalo Grove.
The Stickney-based racetrack company didn't double down on the Buffalo Grove relocation bet. Instead, Hawthorne played it safe and pursued OTB licenses in other communities.
Prospect Hts. recently granted a special use permit for Hawthorne to operate an OTB at Player's Pub & Grill, 1250 S. River rd., which is only about three miles south of the current Buffalo Grove location.
Hawthorne is also looking to receive a permit to operate an OTB at Shark City in west suburban Glendale Hts., which is up for approval tonight (Thursday) at their board meeting.
The Illinois Racing Board then must approve the proposed OTB licenses. The board is expected to vote on both licenses at their board meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 24, said Mickey Ezzo, spokesman for the Illinois Racing Board.
When the BG location closes on Sunday, Apr. 22, Hawthorne will have four active OTB licenses: Aurora, Chicago (Corliss Ave.), Joliet and Mokena.
If the Illinois Racing Board grants the two proposed licenses on Tuesday, Hawthorne will have six, which is the maximum allowed to hold by any Illinois race track.
"Hawthorne has indicated if it receives a favorable recommendation from the racing board it will separate itself from one of its other OTB licenses," said Ghida Neukirch, Buffalo Grove deputy village manager.
At the end of January this year, Hawthorne closed its OTB license in Yorkville at Ultimate Sports Bar because it was not generating enough revenue. that paved the way for the Prospect Hts. and Glendale Hts. pursuit.
Buffalo Grove's OTB generated approximately $80,000 in 2010, but decreased to approximately $56,000 in 2011, which was due in large part to the property entering receivership and the loss of its concessionaire, Kras said.
"If its possible, we would like to redeploy our license with Buffalo Grove," he said. "We're still interested in maintaining a presence."
Of the five race tracks in Illinois, Fairmount Park is the only one allowed to have more than six OTB licenses; they have seven.
"The other race tracks are only allowed six because they are in the Chicagoland, which has a dense population," Ezzo said. "With Fairmount being downstate, they have lesser opportunities due to the lower population density."
Permission for Fairmount Park to receive seven OTB licenses came from the Illinois General Assembly.
"We would welcome Hawthorne back," Braiman said. "They were a legitimate business. they brought in revenue to the village. they posed no safety risks. they were good neighbors."
If Hawthorne does come back, it is proposing to literally be neighbors with the village. The proposed location is across the street from village hall.
Goodbye BG OTB? – Journal & Topics Newspapers Online: News
Tags: buffalo grove golf course, Hts, illinois racing, mile radius, milwaukee ave, OTB, receivership, turmoil, village, village president
Category: otb
