Fairmount Park to Add $50 Million in Gambling Facilities

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 08/07/2019

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Illinois' gambling expansion will bring in more revenue for the state and all organizations involved

Fairmount Park welcomes new expansion bill, Photo by Pixabay

On 30th July, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a new gambling expansion law when he spoke to afternoon racegoers and media in Collinsville. And he thanked Metro East lawmakers for their support of the new legislation.

With the new gambling bill, which was passed by the Illinois Legislature last month, the Collinsville racetrack has plans in the pipeline to give the Fairmount Park a revitalized facelift.

A minimum of $50 million will be spent on casino games, slots, and sports betting in the hope that it will enhance engagement levels and bring in a larger customer base, thereby boosting sales and their return on investment.

What changes for Fairmount Racetrack?

As reported by St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Brian Zander, President of Fairmount, had this to say:

There’s going to have to be new buildings. We’re looking at $50 million to start with.

He also added that the new bill is:

really going to save the place.

For years, Fairmount and two Chicago racetracks had been pressing the government to allow them to expand their portfolios by including casino games as a way of bringing in more revenue. Zander said that their Collinsville racetrack was finding it increasingly difficult because they were unable to provide large purses for winning horses, unlike their counterparts in neighboring states.

But thanks to the new gambling expansion law, Collinsville racetrack will now be allowed to:

Increase their current 41 racing days per year to 100 days.

This will mean more horses, more racers, more days – and that means more jobs to this area,

the governor said.
Add in 900 gaming positions that will include table games, slot machines, and sports betting.

However, Zander said that the Illinois Gaming Board would decide on the specific number of each type of gaming position the racetrack will be permitted to operate. Under the new law, the board will need to create new regulations and other details, which is why Gov. Pritzker couldn’t comment on the opening date for the Fairmount expansion but said it would happen as soon as possible.

On the other hand, spokesperson for Fairmount, Jon Sloane, said that the track’s management is hopeful these new enhancements to the 94-year-old facility will happen as early as 2020.

How the new expansion bill will Help Illinois’ overall gambling scene

In addition to Fairmount, the new legislation will:

Permit six new casinos outside metro St. Louis.
Allow existing casinos in the state to increase their gaming positions by 800.
Authorize a brand spanking new race track in Chicago.
Allow additional gaming terminals at restaurants, veteran’s halls, bars, and truck stops.

The Metro East area already has two casinos – Casino Argosy in Alton and the Casino Queen in East St. Louis. Plus, with four casinos in Missouri, Fairmount would have found it increasingly challenging to continue operations unless the number of racing days was slashed. Zander believes that the racetrack might have had to shut down in the future if the new bill had not come to fruition.

Other benefits the new bill will bring to the state

Gov. Pritzker also said that the new gambling bill passed by the Illinois Legislature would bring in more revenue for the state. This, in turn, will contribute to a $45 billion, 6-year state construction program.

Through the new plan, the state’s government will be able to build new roads, bridges, universities, and community colleges. The governor concluded that this would bring in: