LEXINGTON, Ky. – Churchill Downs will build a hotel and casino-gambling facility along the track’s first turn, along with new permanent seating in the area, the parent company of the Louisville track announced late on Wednesday. The reconstruction project, which Churchill said would cost $300 million, will begin after the close of the track’s fall meet in December and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. As part of the project, Churchill will also renovate its Millionaire’s Row, an exclusive area of the track known for attracting high-profile celebrities and sports figures. Those renovations will be complete by the Kentucky Derby next year, the company said. Churchill had earlier in the year announced that it would build a hotel and casino facility, but the company did not release details of the project until the release on Wednesday. The projects build on Churchill’s endeavors over the past two decades to upgrade the track to offer a variety of options to wealthy customers during Derby week. The seven-story hotel will loom over the first turn and have 156 rooms, Churchill said. Trackside-facing rooms will have balconies overlooking the track, while non-track-facing rooms will have “access to a 2nd floor party deck to watch racing.” The company said it expected to market the hotel rooms with “exclusive Derby package offerings that will offer spectacular track views and the full bucket-list experience that Kentucky Derby guests have come to expect.” The hotel will house approximately 900 historical horse racing machines, devices that are similar to slot machines, on a casino floor that also includes a sports bar, VIP lounge, and restaurants, Churchill said. On Tuesday, Chuchill received approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to operate up to 3,000 of the devices among its Louisville racetrack and Derby City Gaming, a casino the company opened last year at its Trackside training facility in Louisville. Derby City currently operates 1,000 devices. The track is betting heavily on the devices at a time when a gubernatorial election next week in Kentucky may determine whether the state proceeds on an effort to legalize full casinos. One month ago, Churchill bought Turfway Park, and it intends to install as many as 2,500 historical horse racing machines at the track. Also as part of the Churchill project, a new seating section for 4,700 will be built to replace 3,300 seats that were available in a temporary grandstand in the area, Churchill said. The new seats will be covered. The renovations on Millionaire’s Row, on the sixth floor, will include the construction of private dining rooms, lounge seating, and a “speakeasy bourbon room.” Churchill said it also intends to offer customers on Millionaire’s Row “upscale guest offerings and elevated service.” Churchill sells 350 tickets to the area.