Off-Track Betting Facility to Open in Bolingbrook?

An off-track betting establishment may open in Bolingbrook. 

The village board will vote on two ordinances Tuesday that would pave the way for the Hawthorne Race Course OTB (off-track betting) facility. The first is an amendment to the zoning ordinance addressing off-track betting. The second is a special use permit. 

Both ordinances address a proposed OTB facility at 730 N. Bolingbrook Drive, the site of McQ's Bar & Grill. The applicant is Jeff Kras of Hawthorne Race Course, Inc. 

Hawthorne Race Course has other OTB locations in Aurora, Chicago, Glendale Heights, Joliet, Mokena and Prospect Heights, according to its website. 

McQ's Bar & Grill will also need approval by the Illinois Racing Board to open the OTB. Village documents made no mention when the OTB facility would open. 

Attempts to reach both village officials and McQ's Bar & Grill for comment were unsuccessful by post time. 

An off-track betting facility could mean thousands of dollars in tax revenue for Bolingbrook. 

An OTB parlor in Yorkville was projected to bring in $110,000 in tax revenue between 2011 to 2015, according to Hawthorne Race Course’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Kras.

That parlor, which opened in late 2010, closed in April 2012 after poor business. City officials estimated it brought in at least $15,000 to $20,000 for the city of Yorkville.

What do you think of an off-track betting establishment in Bolingbrook? Tell us in the comments. 

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