Tribe partners on $55 million Kentucky horse race track

This nearly 200-acre property in Boyd County, Kentucky, is being developed as the state’s first race track dedicated to quarter horse racing.

Revolutionary Racing Kentucky photo

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a key partner in a $55 million effort to bring the state’s first track dedicated to quarterhorse racing to a 200-acre property outside of Ashland, Kentucky, with a groundbreaking ceremony held Friday, Oct. 28.

“I give my thanks and gratitude to Tribal Council for having the foresight to support this deal and to EBCI Holdings, LLC, for bringing opportunities to the EBCI,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed said in an Oct. 29 Facebook post.

According to a press release from developer Revolutionary Racing Kentucky, racing at the new facility, called Boyd County Downs, will start in 2024. Designed by Populous in consultation with the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association, it will be Kentucky’s first track dedicated to quarter horses and will also feature an equestrian center and entertainment complex. The racetrack will feature a 660-yard sprint track and daily purses of $500,000, and the facility will support 200 “good-paying” full-time jobs and provide nearly $1 million annually in new tax revenues..

While racing will serve as its centerpiece, plans call for year-round use for quarter horse shows and competitions, as well as an adjacent entertainment complex. Those investments are expected to generate nearly $1 million in new local tax revenues each year.

The project is a “game-changing milestone,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said.

“This is a historic day for the thousands of quarter horse owners who call Kentucky home,” said Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association President Richard Connelley. “For decades, we’ve had to travel to other states to race, so we are ready to welcome our friends from across the country to come here and add to the legacy and tradition that is Kentucky horse racing.”

During a special-called meeting Monday, Oct. 31, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved a change in control for Revolutionary Racing Kentucky that gives the EBCI an influential role. Previously, the company had been owned by Prentice Salter and the Lucas Family Trust. Now RRKY Acquisition, LLC — a wholly owned subsidiary of EBCI Holdings, LLC, which is owned by the EBCI — owns 49% of the company. The majority 51% share is owned by a different LLC, ELS-RRKY Holdings LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of ELS Gaming, LLC — an affiliate of the previous owners of Revolutionary Racing Kentucky.

The Commission had previously approved Revolutionary Racing Kentucky’s racing license during a July 26 meeting. In a unanimous vote, it granted the company the state’s ninth and final horse racing license, approving it to conduct live horse racing, simulcasting and pari-mutuel wagering starting in 2023.

The $55 million facility under construction in Ashland will not be complete when the license takes effect in 2023. The six race dates approved for 2023 will instead take place at Red Mile in Lexington, the Commission decided.

Boyd County Downs is likely the project in Kentucky Tribal Council approved in a special-called meeting April 13 under the code name “Project Thoroughbred.” The

Cherokee Central Schools gets funding for cost-of-living, minimum wage increase

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

The Cherokee Tribal Council allocated an additional $1.38 million to Cherokee Central Schools during an Oct. 24 Annual Council session, increasing the school system’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and giving employees a cost-of-living increase.

Ashford Smith, finance director at Cherokee Boys Club, said the funding was needed to match minimum wage increases set by the state and the tribe during their most recent budget seasons. While the state budget conversation was heavily focused on teacher salaries, it also included funding to raise the minimum wage for support staff like custodians to $15 an hour. In the budget that took effect Oct. 1, the tribe also raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour.

“We’re not trying to create a system that directly competes with the EBCI because we realize we’re all one big family, but at the same time we now have employees that are happy at the school, they love working at the school,” Smith said. “But now they have to look at the financial decision in front of them and say, hey, we may have to move on and work at the tribe.”

The money will also provide a cost-of-living raise to allow salaries to keep up with inflation. The request is coming in separately from CCS’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget request because much has changed regarding inflation and salary comparisons since the school system began its budget process in March.

“The outlook now is completely different than it was in March when we began these discussions, at every level of the government,” Smith said.

CCS will apply the cost-of-living increase using the same method the tribe applied with its most recent increase. The raise will not include elected officials or coaching stipends, Smith said.

Tribal Council proved favorable to the request, approving it with a unanimous vote.