Saturday, May 20, 2000
Newport looks at race book
By Terry Flynn
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — A swanky intertrack wagering facility and upscale sports bar, complete with a restaurant and under the auspices of Turfway Park, could be in this city's future in the Third Street development area.
Fort Thomas developer Nick Ellison, with partner Eric Haas, has been working to bring some type of entertainment/eatery complex to the former Dennart building at Third and Washington streets. He confirmed Fridaythat he has been discussing a race book — an off-track wagering operation — with Turfway officials.
“They (Turfway officials) have contacted us, and we've had some preliminary discussions,” Mr. Ellison said. “We've agreed to talk some more. I can't really say any more about it than that.”
Robert Forbeck, Turfway's director of communications and marketing, also acknowledged Friday that the track had held preliminary talks with Mr. Ellison about the Newport property.
“We're always looking at ways to expand our fan base,” Mr. Forbeck said.
“We want to be able to go to where the population is, and that's the downtown Cincinnati area.”
Mr. Ellison and Mr. Haas purchased most of the block bordered by Third, Washington and Saratoga streets and Southgate Alley. Their original plan called for a Woodstock Cafe entertainment complex, but the Woodstock concept failed to materialize.
Former Turfway owner Jerry Carroll, now co-owner and developer of Kentucky Speedway in Gallatin County, had also looked into the possibility of a race book operation along the river. He inspected sites in Covington and Newport but didn't proceed any further before selling Turfway to a group including Keeneland, Dreamport Inc. and Harrah's Entertainment Inc.
A change in Kentucky law several years ago permitted thoroughbred race tracks to establish off-track wagering operations in counties outside the county where the track is. More recently, the law was amended to provide cities and/or counties where the race book was located with a percentage of the money wagered.
Illegal betting parlors were a part of Newport's colorful and infamous past, a past city fathers have worked hard to erase in recent years while the Newport Aquarium and Newport on the Levee developments dominated the riverfront.
Mr. Forbeck emphasized that Turfway would only consider a sports bar-type of race book operation that would be an asset and a draw to the development area.
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