Evans leaves chairman post at CDI

Robert Evans, the chief executive at Churchill Downs Inc. for eight years until his resignation last year, will retire as the company’s executive chairman of the board effective Sept. 30 of this year, the company announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Evans will remain as the non-executive chairman of the company’s board, but a release from Churchill indicated he will no longer play an active role in management. Following Evans's resignation as chief executive last year, Churchill’s board elevated Bill Carstanjen, the company’s chief operating officer, to his position.

“These changes complete the senior executive leadership transition begun in Aug., 2014,” when Evans resigned, the release stated.

Although Evans's strategies sometimes were at odds with horsemen and horseplayers, he oversaw enormous growth in Churchill’s revenues and asset base, mainly by leveraging the company’s Kentucky Derby and acquiring casino properties.