Churchill Downs Inc. adds the state of Ohio to its property roster today as Miami Valley 
Gaming opens its racino in southwestern Ohio. Ceremonies are scheduled for noon.
The racino, which took the license of the former Lebanon Raceway, is a joint venture with Delaware North Cos.
The property will have a five furlong track with seating for more than 1,000 people on the racing side. On the slots side, the parlor will have 1,600 video lottery terminals (with the ability to increase to 1,800). The companies invested about $162 million in the facility, excluding a $50 million license fee, according to Louisville-based Churchill’s most recent financial report.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reported this week on the impact of the new Ohio casinos and racinos on the older casinos (wow, casinos from the mid- to late-90s are now “older”) of southeastern Indiana.
Southeast Indiana casinos are showing the impact from new Ohio competition: They reported $34.1 million in gambling revenue during November, down 28.3 percent from the same month a year ago. During the nine months Cincinnati’s casino has been operating, total revenues have dropped 28.6 percent to $338.2 million.
The story rightly notes that competition is only getting stronger with the opening of Miami Valley and next year’s opening of the Belterra Park at the former River Downs, at the northern shore of Campbell County, Ky. By that point the region will have about 10,000 slot machines.
For those counting at home, Churchill now owns part or all of six casino or racinos: Oxford Casino, in Oxford, Maine; Riverwalk Casino Hotel in Vicksburg, Miss.; Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa, Greenville, Miss.; Calder Casino and Race Course, Miami Gardens, Fla.; Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots, New Orleans (not counting separate video poker locations); and Miami Valley.
