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General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: BigMikeRocco on December 21, 2025, 07:57:02 AM

Title: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: BigMikeRocco on December 21, 2025, 07:57:02 AM

OTB in Mokena closed its doors on Friday, Prospect heights closed down by fire.

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: jupiter on December 21, 2025, 12:38:04 PM

OTB's are just sitting waiting to close, How many people complain when they close one? Sad

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: LUCPARK on December 22, 2025, 07:31:25 PM

  CAREY STIFFED ALL TELECAST CARRIERS..

OTB'S ONLY TELECAST A HANDFUL OF TRACKS,,,

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: carl baldwin on December 22, 2025, 10:16:21 PM

Illinois Harness Horsemen Report Returned Payments From Hawthorne Race Course - Paulick Report | Latest news and commentary from the horse racing and equine world https://share.google/8xZfCojI167OLF6Y3

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: Grandstand Handicapper on December 23, 2025, 11:55:06 AM

I visited a couple of the Chicago area ones many years ago. They were great. Sorry to see any of these go, but unfortunately this is IL harness racing.

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: balmoralfan on December 23, 2025, 05:12:38 PM

Never forget it was Johnny Johnston who sank racing 10+ years ago with his corruption. Old man Langley was pure evil too. The people they hired as GMs were total morons.

Can you imagine Balmoral and Maywood with slots, blackjack, sports betting and races? Heaven - ruined by Johnny the midget Johnston and evil Langley.
Never forget, their IRB pals were inept too.

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: The Doctor on December 23, 2025, 06:24:05 PM

Quote from: balmoralfan on December 23, 2025, 05:12:38 PM

Never forget it was Johnny Johnston who sank racing 10+ years ago with his corruption. Old man Langley was pure evil too. The people they hired as GMs were total morons.

Can you imagine Balmoral and Maywood with slots, blackjack, sports betting and races? Heaven - ruined by Johnny the midget Johnston and evil Langley.
Never forget, their IRB pals were inept too.

Plus Blago

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: carl baldwin on December 25, 2025, 03:41:24 PM

Quote from: balmoralfan on December 23, 2025, 05:12:38 PM

Never forget it was Johnny Johnston who sank racing 10+ years ago with his corruption. Old man Langley was pure evil too. The people they hired as GMs were total morons.

Can you imagine Balmoral and Maywood with slots, blackjack, sports betting and races? Heaven - ruined by Johnny the midget Johnston and evil Langley.
Never forget, their IRB pals were inept too.

I heard a rumor that years ago during a IHHA meeting Bill McEnry suggested that each race track and OTB get 800-1000 slot machines and everyone laughed him out of the meeting.

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: Bernie Madoff on December 25, 2025, 04:29:21 PM

Poor Bill owned many gas stations and was one of the original owners of the Joliet casino and he died broke.

Title: Re: 2 Illinois OTBS Gone
Post by: BigMikeRocco on December 26, 2025, 10:26:55 AM

Wasn't that broke, his brother has opened 27 Gas N Wash stations in the Midwest.