Churchill to spend $18 million on renovations to premium seating

Churchill Downs will spend $18 million prior to next year’s Kentucky Derby on renovations to its premium seating areas, increasing the reserved seating capacity at the track by approximately 800, the track announced on Tuesday.

The renovations will be concentrated in the Turf Club areas of the track, according to Churchill. Although some of the renovations will begin in mid-September, most of the work will be started following the close of the track’s fall meet on Nov. 29.

The work will include combining the square footage of the Stakes Room, the Aristides Room, the Directors’ Room, and the Turf Club Lounge into one area of premium seating on the fourth floor, Churchill said. The new room will have seating for 500 people.

The current Turf Club Lounge and the Directors’ Room will be relocated to the third floor. The winning connections of stakes horse will have their post-race receptions in the Directors’ Room, Churchill said.

As a result of the renovations, reserved seating capacity will increase from 57,880 to 58,654, Churchill said. The track has aggressively sought to maximize ticketing revenues from its Kentucky Derby and Oaks with a variety of renovations over the past five years, including the construction of a high-end suite called the Mansion.

“Few events in the world can offer the wide array of customer experiences that we do around the Kentucky Derby, and, ultimately, it’s up to us to continue to create fresh, diverse, and differentiated products that satisfy everyone’s wishes,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs, in a statement.