Churchill Downs Racetrack’s Jockey Club Suites, built and officially opened just in time for the 2004 Kentucky Derby, will undergo a massive renovation valued at $14 million. The purpose of the renovation procedure is to modernize the luxurious hospitality offerings at the iconic racetrack home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest yearly sporting event in the US held every year since 1875. 

All of Churchill Downs’ 61 suites located on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors at the Jockey Club in the tower adjacent to the historic Twin Spires along the homestretch will be included in the renovation project. Plans also include all restrooms, dining spaces, and common areas of the club used by up to 2,500 guests, which is the Jockey Club Suites’ maximum accommodation capacity. 

The Suites, “a Core Premium Hospitality Product” 

According to Churchill Downs’ president, Mike Anderson, the modernization project has the purpose of guaranteeing that both existing and upcoming suite holders will be granted the premium entertainment experiences that Churchill Downs is best known for, especially during the much-anticipated Kentucky Derby Week along with the rest of the popular racing events including the thoroughbred horse race meets in spring, September and fall held in Louisville.

Prices for a suite at the Jockey Club start at $750 and they go up during the biggest events throughout the year. For example, during the Kentucky Derby, guests frequently pay more than $200,000 for a single suite. Single suite options can accommodate up to 24 guests while double suites can host up to 50 guests. All suites offer food and beverage options that can be customized by guests according to their personal needs.

All rooms feature private self-service wagering terminals, reserved parking, souvenir glasses on Derby Day and Oaks Day, along with a dedicated wait staff, a wet bar, temperature-controlled bar and kitchen areas with dedicated lounge seatings, and private balconies with panoramic views over the racetrack.

The Jockey Club Suites Clubhouse features dining tables suitable for ten guests per table. The same Clubhouse is also home to the Grand Foyer, the Triple Crown Ballroom, and the Derby and Oaks meeting rooms. The freshly opened Triple Crown Balcony is a top-tier rental space for special events held during the year.

The Makeover to Be Completed in Time for the Next Derby

While Churchill Downs has not offered any details regarding the exact modernization that will take place at the suites, the process is expected to be over right in time for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby that will take place on May 3-4, 2024. 

The 149th Derby held on May 5, 2023, once again gathered over 150,000 exuberant fans eager to watch America’s greatest race. Next year’s derby is expected to bring together the same vibrant and spirited public, many of whom will be able to seek accommodation in the freshly renovated suites at the Jockey Club. 

At the end of June, FanDuel’s director of communications, Alexander Pitocchelli, confirmed their plans to sign up a partnership with Churchill Downs in order to secure access to Kentucky’s sports betting market.

Last September, Churchill Downs Incorporated acquired Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in Henderson, Kentucky as a result of a cash deal valued at $79 million.

The post Churchill Downs’ Jockey Club Suites to Receive Makeover for Kentucky Derby appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Sports Information Services (SIS) a top multi-channel provider of constant live betting services, has formed a new partnership with Media System Technologies (MST). As per the deal, SIS will distribute the 140th edition of the Italian Gallop Derby to gambling companies in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Thanks to the deal, retail and digital operators in the two regions will be able, for the first time, to accept fixed-odds bets on the best thoroughbred racing event in Italy. As a result, horseracing enthusiasts in the two regions will get to enjoy all the action.

The Italian Gallop Derby is set to begin on May 21 and will take place on the Capannelle racecourse in Rome. Italy’s top meeting will feature a total of nine races, which will include three Group contests, namely the Italian Gallop Derby, the President of the Republic Grand Prix, and the Carlo D’Alessio Grand Prix. In addition, the Sunday program has three Listed races in store: the Tudini Prize, the Alessandro Perrone Prize and the Mauro Sbarigia Prize.

Thanks to the deal between SIS and MST, more players than ever will get to experience the spectacular races. It follows an agreement between SIS and ISIBET Pro that saw the supplier launch content in Italy.

An Important Step for the Development of Racing

Representatives of the two companies commented on the agreement with Michele Rosi, MST’s head of operations and business development, saying that the distribution of the Derby di Galoppo in the UK and Ireland will help the content reach many major betting brands.

This, according to Rosi, is a major milestone for his company and the horse racing industry as a whole, since the distribution of the Derby Italiano di Gallop is very important for the development of the sector.

We are sure that the high value of the day of racing, enriched by the quality of the HD images, will represent the best advertisement for a relevant market such as the UK and Ireland. This is precisely the image that MST has been exporting internationally since August 2022, together with the offer of Italian racing.

Michele Rosi, head of operations and business development, MST

Meanwhile, Conall McSorley, SIS’ head of international horseracing, lauded the Italian Derby as one of the best horseracing events Europe has to offer. He said that his team is delighted to bring the 140th renewal to punters in the UK and Ireland.

With a rich history, the race resonates with racing fans in Italy and globally. We are sure that the increased global audience will enjoy the high-quality action from Italy’s most valuable race meeting, as we continue to expand our racing offering across the world.

Conall McSorley, head of international horseracing, SIS

SIS provides 24/7 Live Betting Channels that are delivered as an end-to-end solution. They include live-streamed pictures, data and engaging graphics with betting data. Furthermore, SIS provides a plethora of wagering markets, providing a wealth of opportunities to bettors.

In April, SIS supported the top Chilean horseracing event.

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A few days ago, the 149th Kentucky Derby ended, crowning Mage as the winner. The horse covered the mile and a quarter in 2:01.57, to the surprise of bettors who believed that either Angel of Empire or Forte will be the winner.

Mage’s upset of the Kentucky Derby favorites was a major development that ended with Angel of Empire finishing third and Forte falling farther behind. In addition, Mage’s spectacular win marked the first victory for its rider, Javier Castellano, and made its trainer, Gustavo Delgado, proud.

In the wake of this amazing race, Churchill Downs, the company hosting the Kentucky Derby, updates its EBITDA expectations for the event. As reported by Gambling Insider, Bill Carstanjen, chief executive officer of the company, said that his team expects Kentucky Derby Week’s adjusted EBITDA to dramatically increase.

We expect the Kentucky Derby Week adjusted EBITDA to reflect a new record with $14 to $16m of growth over the prior record set last year.

Bill Carstanjen, CEO, Churchill Downs

The CEO added that Churchill Downs will now focus on a year-long celebration and preparation for the jubilee 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby scheduled for May 2024.

This Year’s Race Was the Most Successful Yet

This year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby saw metrics skyrocket across the board. The Kentucky Derby Day program, for example, reached $288.7 million, which is the highest recorded number yet. Meanwhile, Mage’s race, in particular, beat its 2022 counterpart, with the Kentucky Derby Day Program recording $188.7 million.

In total, the program earned $412 million during the entire Kentucky Derby Week, far surpassing last year’s results of $391.8 million.

TwinSpires, meanwhile, reported a record-breaking handle of $73.6 million, surpassing last year’s result of $67.4 million. The Kentucky Derby race was singlehandedly responsible for $47 million of the total handle. For comparison, the gambling brand reported a sports betting handle of $44 million during the 2022 race.

Saturday’s race surpassed the 2022 results in terms of attendance as well. According to official data, a total of 150,335 people visited the iconic racetrack to attend the race. This is a slight increase from the 147,294 guests the signature twin spires attracted in 2022.

Luckily, the Kentucky Derby Day race went without significant problems, despite the recent concerns about the safety of the sport and the horses involved. However, there were protesters voicing their concerns with the greyhound races Churchill Downs is involved in.

In other news, Churchill Downs recently posted a record-breaking Q1 2023 revenue, defying market expectations.

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