Riverwalk Casino Hotel in Vicksburg started spreading holiday cheer on Wednesday, Nov. 16 and Thursday, Nov. 17 with turkey donations to various local first responder groups as part of its first Season of Giving Donation Event.

The event will continue for the local community on Thursday, Dec. 8, when Riverwalk makes monetary donations to 13 different charitable organizations. Altogether, Riverwalk will donate more than $72,000 in cash and turkeys this holiday season.

The Season of Giving Donation Event wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of Riverwalk’s guests, the casino said in a news release. Throughout the year, guests raised funds for this event by contributing their TITO tickets to the donation box located in the hotel lobby. Additional contributions were made via the Sharing is Caring promotion, where guests made $5 donations in exchange for $10 of BonusPLAY.

“It’s an honor to help support so many worthy organizations throughout our wonderful community during our Season of Giving Donation Event,” said Brock VanWye, Riverwalk’s Director of Marketing. “We’re beyond appreciative of all our guests for their incredible generosity over the past year. Their contributions will go a long way to giving many of those in the greater Vicksburg area a brighter holiday season — and a brighter future.”

As printed in The Vicksburg Post: 12/6/22

About Riverwalk Casino Hotel

Riverwalk Casino Hotel, located along the banks of the Mississippi River in historic Vicksburg, is Mississippi’s most exciting land-based casino destination. Owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN), features over 27,000-square-feet of gaming and dining space with more than 600 slot machines and action-packed table games. The property also boasts a 74-room hotel and casual dining option, Smiley’s. www.riverwalkvicksburg.com

FLORENCE, KY. (September 1, 2022) – Turfway Park Racing & Gaming (“Turfway Park”) opened its doors to the public for the first time at 9 a.m. with a special ribbon cutting ceremony that included Mayor Diane Whalen, Northern Kentucky Chamber President Brent Cooper and Judge Executive Gary Moore. Senior leaders from Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) and Turfway Park commemorated the special occasion with a $50,000 charitable donation to be split between two local charities: Easterseals Redwood and I Have Wings Breast Cancer Foundation.

The state-of-the-art facility opened its gaming floor featuring 850 historical racing machines after hosting a VIP reception earlier in the week which featured remarks from Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear. Of the first class facility, the Governor remarked, “While announcements are great, groundbreakings are fun and topping off ceremonies are important, grand openings mean it’s real. It means the jobs are real.” Indeed the $240 million Turfway Park investment has resulted in 800 construction jobs and 400 permanent jobs.

Florence Mayor Diane Whalen was one of the six distinguished guests who made the ceremonial first bet on the machines remarking, “It’s like Dorothy walking over the hill to the Land of Oz – all the bright lights, the newness of the place, the excitement we know it’ll bring to the city.”

In addition to the games like Wheel of Fortune, Buffalo Gold and Ultimate Fire Link, that excitement includes live music entertainment that will perform on the Bourbon and Brew Restaurant stage along with food options from Serena’s Market, named after Serena’s Song, a filly with a historic number of wins at Turfway Park including the 1995 Spiral Stakes. The grand opening also debuted a new event space ideal for banquets, parties and weddings, fulfilling a long-requested need of the local community.

About Churchill Downs Incorporated

Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate four gaming entertainment venues with approximately 3,900 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing in the U.S. and we have eight retail sportsbooks. We are also a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,800 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 250 table games. www.churchilldownsincorporated.com

This news release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions).

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, among others, that may materially affect actual results or outcomes include the following: the receipt of regulatory approvals on terms desired or anticipated, unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the proposed transaction, including, without limitation, difficulties that result in the failure to realize expected synergies, efficiencies and cost savings from the proposed transaction within the expected time period (if at all), our ability to obtain financing on the anticipated terms and schedule, disruptions of our or P2E’s current plans, operations and relationships with customers and suppliers caused by the announcement and pendency of the proposed transaction, our and P2E’s ability to consummate a sale-leaseback transaction with respect to the Hard Rock Sioux City on terms desired or anticipated; the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the emergence of variant strains, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers' confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation the competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine and HRM manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully expand our TwinSpires Sports and Casino business and effectively compete; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; inability to identify and / or complete acquisitions, divestitures, development of new venues or the expansion of existing facilities on time, on budget, or as planned; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach, including customers’ personal information, could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card and debit card use; work stoppages and labor issues; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; and increase in our insurance costs, or obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Tuesday, May 3, 2022) – Churchill Downs announced today that it has become an Ed Brown Partner. The Ed Brown Partnership of $50,000 is the highest level of participation in support of the work of the Ed Brown Society (“EBS”), named in honor of Edward Dudley Brown, who was born into enslavement in Lexington, Kentucky, and went on to become one of the most accomplished horsemen in the history of Thoroughbred racing. A press conference announcing the news was held this morning with Governor Andy Beshear in attendance, marking the one-year anniversary of his declaration of Derby Week 2021 as “Ed Brown Society Week,” in honor of the important mission of the organization.

EBS was founded by Living The Dream Racing & Stables, Thoroughbred racing syndicates managed by Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels. Most notably, Harbut and Daniels furthered the cause of minority participation in the industry through their respective ownership interests in 2020 Derby runner, Necker Island. They, along with Living The Dream Racing & Stables partners, have continued to advance diversity, equity and inclusion through EBS, which celebrates the rich history of African Americans in the equine industry and creates opportunities for young people of color to gain industry exposure, training and experience.

“The Ed Brown Society has an incredibly important mission: Providing mentorship to the next generation of African-Americans in the multi-billion-dollar horseracing industry,” Governor Beshear said. “Thank you and congratulations to both of these institutions for moving our commonwealth forward with this innovative partnership.”

“Churchill Downs is committed to strengthening diversity both within our own organization and across the entire industry,” said Cathy Shircliff, Director of Community Relations. “We look forward to deepening our partnership with the Ed Brown Society to further their work to create inclusive opportunities for young people of color in the horseracing industry. This company hopes to be one of the many launch pads to the success of future Ed Brown Scholars.”

“As a third-generation horseman, and one of the few African American professionals in the industry, I am extremely excited about the work of the Ed Brown Society and I am delighted that Churchill Downs has joined us to advance our mission,” said EBS Chairman Greg Harbut, whose great-grandfather was the world-renowned groom of Man O’ War.

This morning the Ed Brown Society announced the hiring of Executive Director Daryl Love. Love most recently served as the Executive Director of Career Services at Kentucky State University, a role that will be utilized greatly in the placement of Ed Brown Scholars within partner organizations like Churchill Downs.

Ed Brown Society joined Churchill Downs in 2021 when they introduced Champions for Change as part of their Kentucky Derby Week programming to demonstrate an industry-wide commitment to increasing diversity and inclusivity in the sport of horse racing. This year on May 3rd, representatives of the Ed Brown Society, including Ed Brown Scholar Deja’ Robinson, will once again be on hand at Churchill Downs for Champions Day: Champions for Change “Ladies in Racing.”

About Churchill Downs Racetrack

Churchill Downs Racetrack (“CDRT”), the world’s most legendary racetrack, has been the home of The Kentucky Derby, the longest continually held annual sporting event in the United States, since 1875. Located in Louisville, CDRT features a series of themed race days during Derby Week, including the Kentucky Oaks, and conducts Thoroughbred horse racing during three race meets in the Spring, September, and the Fall. CDRT is located on 175 acres and has a one-mile dirt track, a 7/8-mile turf track, a stabling area, and provides seating for approximately 60,000 guests. The saddling paddock and the stable area has barns sufficient to accommodate 1,400 horses and a 114-room dormitory for backstretch personnel. CDRT also has a year-round simulcast wagering facility. www.ChurchillDowns.com.

LOUISVILLE, KY., (December 15, 2021) – Churchill Downs Incorporated joined community partner Kroger, ESPN 680 Louisville and Louisville, Kentucky-based Phocus to support vital relief and recovery efforts following devastating tornados in Kentucky. CDI donated $50,000 to the Mayfield Graves County Tornado Relief Fund on behalf of its Kentucky properties which include Churchill Downs Racetrack, Derby City Gaming, Turfway Racing & Gaming, Newport Racing & Gaming and Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel located in the western part of the state. Miami Valley Gaming, CDI’s jointly-owned property with Delaware North located in Lebanon, Ohio, joined the efforts with a financial contribution to support their Kentucky neighbors.

The Mayfield Graves County Tornado Relief Fund was established through Independence Bank and the Muhlenberg County Long Term Disaster Relief Fund. On Wednesday, December 15, ESPN 680 Louisville will be at Kroger Stony Brook (9080 Taylorsville Rd, Louisville, KY 40299) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a live broadcast event where they will be collecting monetary donations for families, first responders and communities affected by the disaster.

“Kentucky is known is for its unbridled spirit,” said Tonya Abeln, president of Churchill Downs Incorporated Foundation. “At Churchill Downs, we couldn’t do what we do without the strength of Kentucky behind us. We know the sun will shine bright on our old Kentucky home again, but there are some dark days ahead as we try to rebuild all that has been lost. Today, we send support and love to our fellow Kentuckians who have suffered so greatly at the indiscriminate hands of this natural disaster.”

You can join Churchill Downs’ efforts to support Kentucky tornado disaster relief and recovery by donating to the Churchill Downs Foundation at the following link. Churchill Downs will donate 100% of the money donated to its Foundation through the end of 2021 to the Mayfield Graves County Tornado Relief Fund.

CDI Foundation - Kentucky Tornado Relief Donation Link

This news release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions).

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, among others, that may materially affect actual results or outcomes include the following: the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the emergence of variant strains, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers' confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation the competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully expand our TwinSpires Sports and Casino business and effectively compete; inability to identify and complete expansion, acquisition or divestiture projects, on time, on budget or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; costs and uncertainties relating to the development of new venues and expansion of existing facilities; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach, including customers’ personal information, could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card and debit card use; work stoppages and labor issues; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; and increase in our insurance costs, or obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Team members from Churchill Downs Incorporated came together to deliver some hope to the community by packing The Hope Buss with essential winter items ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. The CDI employees, which consisted of members from the company’s corporate office, United Tote and TwinSpires business units, donated scarves, gloves, hats, socks, canned heat and hand and foot warmers to be distributed. The collection resulted in 148 bags that were donated to The Hope Buss to commemorate the upcoming 148^th running of the Kentucky Derby as well as food items to be used toward Thanksgiving meals that will be cooked and delivered by The Hope Buss on Thanksgiving Day.

“Team members at CDI are always interested in participating in activities that allow them to give back to their community,” said Saundra Mattingly, CDI’s coordinator for this year’s donation drive. “Our goal was to engage by doing more than just donating, but to team build by filling 148 bags with items that many of us may take for granted, but that will truly change the circumstances of some less fortunate in our community. Finally, it was important to interact with the incredible team from The Hope BUSS and see this transformative vehicle that will be delivering hope throughout Louisville.”

Some team members will serve as “Hope Dealers” in the days leading to Thanksgiving by joining The Hope Buss in serving the houseless community.

To learn more about The Hope Buss, please visit TheHopeBuss.org.

About Churchill Downs Incorporated

Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate three pari-mutuel gaming entertainment venues with approximately 3,050 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing, sports and iGaming in the U.S. and we have seven retail sportsbooks. We are also a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,000 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 200 table games. Additional information about CDI can be found online at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.

This news release contains various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions).

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, among others, that may materially affect actual results or outcomes include the following: the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the emergence of variant strains, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers' confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation the competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully expand our TwinSpires Sports and Casino business and effectively compete; inability to identify and complete expansion, acquisition or divestiture projects, on time, on budget or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; costs and uncertainties relating to the development of new venues and expansion of existing facilities; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach, including customers’ personal information, could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card and debit card use; work stoppages and labor issues; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; and increase in our insurance costs, or obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Volunteers of America Named First Featured Beneficiary

 LOUISVILLE, KY., (Oct. 7, 2021) – As part of Derby City Gaming’s ongoing charitable initiatives, the entertainment venue launched today new donation stations to be located throughout the property. The stations will provide guests with an outlet to donate change, cash or vouchers to a featured community or nonprofit partner. The featured partners will rotate quarterly beginning in 2022 and will be voted on by Derby City Gaming team members. The program debuted with a ribbon cutting that named Volunteers of America the first beneficiary.

“The entire team at Derby City Gaming is really excited to encourage guests to join them in their charitable efforts,” said Cathy Shircliff, Director of Community Relations at Churchill Downs Incorporated. “It is such a simple way to give back. So many of our guests cash out with some change left on their voucher. Why not donate that to a good cause?”

Volunteers of America is a nonprofit organization that has been helping America’s most vulnerable for 125 years. Donations from Derby City Gaming’s donation stations will go to two of its programs: Freedom House that helps women who are pregnant or parenting struggling with addiction, and Unity House, that helps homeless youth and their parents.

Jennifer Hancock, Volunteers of America Mid-States CEO told WDRB news, “I think there is another outcome associated with this giving opportunity, which is to raise awareness about issues of addiction and homelessness in our community and give all the patrons of Derby City Gaming an opportunity to learn about how Volunteers of America is taking care of our most vulnerable and giving them an opportunity to partner with us in our mission.”

In 2019, Derby City Gaming donated $50,000 to Volunteers of America which helped them open the fourth addiction recovery house for women who are pregnant and parenting in southeastern Kentucky. The new facility was opened in Manchester, Kentucky, the first of its kind in an area hit hardest by the opioid epidemic.

About Churchill Downs Incorporated

Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate three pari-mutuel gaming entertainment venues with approximately 3,050 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing, sports and iGaming in the U.S. and we have eight retail sportsbooks. We are also a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,000 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 200 table games. Additional information about CDI can be found online at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.

Certain statements made in this news release contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions). 

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, among others, that may materially affect actual results or outcomes include the following: the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the emergence of variant strains, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers' confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation the competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully expand our TwinSpires Sports and Casino business and effectively compete; inability to identify and complete expansion, acquisition or divestiture projects, on time, on budget or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; costs and uncertainties relating to the development of new venues and expansion of existing facilities; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach, including customers’ personal information, could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card and debit card use; work stoppages and labor issues; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; and increase in our insurance costs, or obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

LOUISVILLE, KY., (Sept. 30, 2021) – Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CHDN) announced today plans to open a new historical racing machine (“HRM”) entertainment venue, Derby City Gaming Downtown, in Louisville, Kentucky. The 43,000-square-foot entertainment venue will be located at 140 South 4^th Street, at the corner of South 4^th and West Market, diagonal to the Kentucky International Convention Center.

The investment in the new entertainment venue will create 450 jobs for the local economy, including 350 construction jobs and more than 100 new permanent jobs. The Company will collaborate with OneWest and other community organizations in an intentional effort to provide job opportunities at the entertainment venue to individuals residing in Louisville’s most under-resourced neighborhoods as well as provide training and additional social support services that focus on retention, workforce development and professional advancement. CDI will increase its efforts to identify and contract with Women-and Minority-Owned Businesses for supply chain and contracting needs.Derby City Gaming Downtown will initially include 500 HRMs, a fresh-air gaming area and over 200 onsite parking spaces. The new entertainment venue will provide guests — including locals, tourists and convention attendees — three unique bar concepts: a main-level sports bar with a stage for music and live entertainment, a premium bourbon library and an elegant wine and charcuterie lounge. A retail and merchandise store will be located on the street level where guests can shop for Kentucky Derby-themed merchandise. Construction on Derby City Gaming Downtown will begin later this year with an anticipated opening date in early 2023.

CDI also announced a pledge of $1 million to the West End Opportunity Partnership (the “Partnership”), a collaborative community-led initiative that will finance projects to kick start economic development and quality of life improvements in a district comprised of nine West End neighborhoods: Shawnee, Portland, Russell, Chickasaw, Parkland, California, Park Hill, Park Duvalle and Algonquin. The new tax increment financing (“TIF”) district was established by legislation championed and passed by State Senators Robert Stivers, Julie Raque Adams, Morgan McGarvey and Gerald Neal, and State Representatives Ken Fleming and Pamela Stevenson. The TIF guarantees that for the next 20 years, 80% of new tax revenue generated in those neighborhoods will be returned to the Partnership to reinvest in economic development projects and homeowner stabilization in the West End. The seed money and proceeds will be managed by a Partnership board comprised of neighborhood residents and appointees from community organizations.

“CDI is committed to investing in the city of Louisville and today we are particularly excited to announce this new downtown entertainment venue," said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “Our HRM expansion will be a win for the entire community in the Louisville area and will create $10 to $12 million per year in additional purse money for Churchill Downs Racetrack. It is important that Louisville is a city that is thriving — a great place to live, work and visit and we are committed to helping create economic vibrancy for every area of our community. The West End Opportunity Partnership and our collaboration with OneWest can help us responsibly and sustainably achieve that vision.”

“We applaud Churchill Downs for their continued investment in Louisville’s hospitality infrastructure. Having a downtown touchpoint with one of our most iconic brand pillars is a boon to helping us successfully market our destination,” said Cleo Battle, Louisville Tourism President & CEO. “The attraction will fulfill a need for much-requested evening options for convention delegates and give locals and visitors alike another authentic experience to enjoy in the heart of Bourbon & Derby City.”

“Today, Churchill Downs becomes an important component of a downtown Louisville revitalization that has been gaining momentum the last several years. Downtown is our community’s center, and as the economic engine of the region, our downtown also is our region’s center,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Derby City Gaming Downtown will bring even more life to Fourth Street with just shy of an acre’s worth of space for more entertainment offerings, another stop for bourbon fans, a shopping outlet for Kentucky Derby merchandise and permanent jobs to downtown. Thank you, Churchill Downs, for your commitment, your investment and for your belief in our great city.”

“OneWest is extremely excited about this collaboration and what it will mean for the minority contractors of Louisville,” said Evon Smith, President & CEO of OneWest. “This initiative represents intentionality around inclusion and diversity and it is starting at the top. The leadership team at Churchill Downs Incorporated are leading through action!”

“I commend the leadership at Churchill Downs for taking this meaningful step in support of the West End Opportunity Partnership and for encouraging other local corporate citizens to follow suit,” said State Senator Gerald Neal. “By taking action to address the inequities and disparities in our local communities, we are helping to make our Commonwealth a better place for all Kentuckians.”

About Churchill Downs Incorporated

Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate three pari-mutuel gaming entertainment venues with approximately 3,050 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing, sports and iGaming in the U.S. and we have eight retail sportsbooks. We are also a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,000 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 200 table games. Additional information about CDI can be found online at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.

Certain statements made in this news release contain various “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words or similar expressions (or negative versions of such words or expressions). 

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Important factors, among others, that may materially affect actual results or outcomes include the following: the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the emergence of variant strains, and related economic matters on our results of operations, financial conditions and prospects; the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, public health threats, civil unrest, and inclement weather; the effect of economic conditions on our consumers' confidence and discretionary spending or our access to credit; additional or increased taxes and fees; the impact of significant competition, and the expectation the competition levels will increase; changes in consumer preferences, attendance, wagering, and sponsorships; loss of key or highly skilled personnel; lack of confidence in the integrity of our core businesses or any deterioration in our reputation; risks associated with equity investments, strategic alliances and other third-party agreements; inability to respond to rapid technological changes in a timely manner; concentration and evolution of slot machine manufacturing and other technology conditions that could impose additional costs; inability to negotiate agreements with industry constituents, including horsemen and other racetracks; inability to successfully expand our TwinSpires Sports and Casino business and effectively compete; inability to identify and complete expansion, acquisition or divestiture projects, on time, on budget or as planned; difficulty in integrating recent or future acquisitions into our operations; costs and uncertainties relating to the development of new venues and expansion of existing facilities; general risks related to real estate ownership and significant expenditures, including fluctuations in market values and environmental regulations; reliance on our technology services and catastrophic events and system failures disrupting our operations; online security risk, including cyber-security breaches, or loss or misuse of our stored information as a result of a breach, including customers’ personal information, could lead to government enforcement actions or other litigation; personal injury litigation related to injuries occurring at our racetracks; compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or applicable money-laundering regulations; payment-related risks, such as risk associated with fraudulent credit card and debit card use; work stoppages and labor issues; risks related to pending or future legal proceedings and other actions; highly regulated operations and changes in the regulatory environment could adversely affect our business; restrictions in our debt facilities limiting our flexibility to operate our business; failure to comply with the financial ratios and other covenants in our debt facilities and other indebtedness; and increase in our insurance costs, or obtain similar insurance coverage in the future, and inability to recover under our insurance policies for damages sustained at our properties in the event of inclement weather and casualty events.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.