OTB returns to Bloomington-Normal

Posted on October 31, 2016

Hawthorne Race Course plans to reopen the former All Seasons OTB on Saturday. (Photo by Bryan Bloodworth/WJBC)

By Eric Stock

NORMAL – A horseracing company is betting on Bloomington-Normal.

The All Seasons OTB, which opened in 1992, closed in January when Balmoral Park and Maywood Park company went out of business. Hawthorne Race Course took over the site.

Hawthorne President and General Manager Tim Carey said his company sought to expand to the Twin Cities after the Illinois legislature allowed it to add eight more OTB sites last summer.

“The first location we were opening up once we got the additional eight parlors was going to be in Bloomington,” Carey said.

The Cicero-based company runs eight other OTB parlors in the Chicago area.

Carey said the company prefers joint ventures with restaurants as is the case here with Swingers Grille.

“We have found that we really can sustain it and grow our product by being in business with other people,” Carey said.

The OTB plans to reopen on Tuesday, just ahead of the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday.

The only other OTB downstate is in Springfield.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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