Arlington International Racecourse redevelopment ideas span from new Bears stadium to Ravinia-style concert venue: report

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- After news broke Tuesday that Arlington International Racecourse was being sold, ideas began to be floated about what to do next with the facility.

The horse racing track's owners said they hope to sell the land to a developer and transfer the racing license to a different location in Illinois.

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Arlington Park racecourse reopened Thursday with restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and its weekend events quickly sold out.

"It was a sad day in Arlington Heights when the news finally came down," Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes said. "Certainly I think it was a foregone conclusion from the business perspective of Churchill Downs that they were going to put the track up for sale at some point."

Hayes told the Daily Herald there's a number of potential redevelopment options for the facility that fall under the heading of "mixed-use."

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The future of an Arlington Heights horse track is in question as its owners look to transfer its racing license elsewhere.

Some of the ideas range from a new stadium for the Chicago Bears to a Ravinia-style concert venue.

Right now, the owners of the track in the northwest suburbs said they are committed to running the 2021 racing season as scheduled.