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Arlington International Racecourse will continue to have an electronic billboard on Route 53 near the racetrack until June 2023, following a vote Monday by the Arlington Heights Village Board.

The board approved a sign variation extension for the billboard, which is near the Northwest Highway entrance/exit ramps, even though the racetrack is no longer hosting horse racing.

Tony Petrillo, president of Arlington International Racecourse and senior vice president of Churchill Downs Inc., the owner of the racecourse, updated the board on operations at the facility in recent months.

“We had intended this year to continue our intratrack operations as well as our OTB (off-track betting) operations. However, the Illinois Racing Board was at a stalemate in approving or denying those licenses, so we were forced to shut down those aspects of our businesses,” Petrillo told the board.

He said the venue is operating as it would in the off-season of horseracing. Officials there are pursuing expos, trade shows and more, and also leasing parts of the facility, Petrillo explained.

“We do have an import export quarantine operation continuing on the racetrack and that source of revenue is our sole source of revenue that helps support at least five jobs at the racetrack,” he said.

The Illinois Racing Board voted 5-5 in December to issue Arlington a license to operate OTB facilities. The tie vote meant the request was rejected.

Petrillo said staff currently working at the racetrack also support other uses of the facility which the venue is not compensated for, including community work with police, fire and public works departments, canine training and more.

He said the site had also been used for mass COVID-19 testing.

“We still utilize our buildings and grounds,” Petrillo told the board, which makes it necessary for Arlington Racecourse to keep the billboard.

According to Village Manager Randy Recklaus, the racetrack made a request to the village in 2017 to construct a billboard on Route 53 that offered electronic messaging and advertising.

“The purpose of the billboard was to generate extra revenue for the facility and promote their events,” Recklaus told the board. “Generally, the village doesn’t allow this type of signage but eight similar electronic billboards are in the vicinity of this sign. The board approved the sign variation with a few stipulations. The sign would be removed in entirety if the racetrack ceased operations. Obviously, the racetrack ceased operations.”

However, village staff learned Petrillo and other Churchill Downs staff remain at Arlington International Racecourse to maintain the property and keep it secure, pending the sale of the facility.

In September, the Chicago Bears football team entered into a purchase agreement to buy the site for $197 million, and team officials say the organization is continuing its evaluation of the property.

“The sale is not expected to go through until sometime in 2023,” Recklaus said at the meeting Monday. “Staff is recommending we extend the variation through June 2023 to allow Churchill Downs staff to continue to maintain that revenue, which helps support maintenance and security of that site.”

Trustee John Scaletta was also on the board in 2017 when the sign was voted on.

“I think the billboard should remain, in hopes that the next user will use it to the best benefit that they possibly could,” Scaletta said Monday. “It’s in the best interests of the village that it remains, and in the best interests of the employees that remain at Arlington Park.”

Trustee Jim Bertucci agreed, as did Mayor Tom Hayes who said the Village Board previously had concerns about the sign’s impact on the area.

“I don’t see any negative impact,” Hayes said to Petrillo. “It’s been good for your business and for people driving down 53. I have no objection.”

Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.