Wyoming

ECL Entertainment, Clairvest to Purchase Wyoming Downs

Published

2 years ago

April 22, 2024

ECL Entertainment, Clairvest to Purchase Wyoming Downs

Kentucky Downs owner ECL Entertainment and joint venture partner Clairvest Group announced April 22 they have entered into an agreement to purchase Wyoming Downs. ECL will operate the Evanston, Wyo., racetrack in Evanston as well as Wyoming Downs’ historic racing and off-track betting locations across the Cowboy State.

The buyers anticipate finalizing the sale in the second quarter of 2024, pending all necessary and required regulatory approvals and standard closing conditions.

“We are very excited to continue the growth of Wyoming Downs’ racing and historic racing businesses and look forward to investing in the great state of Wyoming,” said Marc Falcone, co- founder of ECL.

Wyoming Downs will hold its opening weekend June 8-9 and will offer live racing through Aug. 11.

“Given our company’s deep roots in horseracing, the purchase of Wyoming Downs is a natural extension of our business,” said Ron Winchell, co-founder of ECL. “We look forward to working with all of the Wyoming Downs stakeholders.”

Wyoming Downs has been owned for the last 10 years by a partnership led by Wyoming Equity Investors, and Eric Nelson. In addition to its racetrack in Evanston, Wyoming Downs also operates 18 off-track betting locations throughout the state that also offer historical horse racing electronic games in Evanston, Casper, Cheyenne, Evansville, Gillette, Green River, Laramie, Mills, Sheridan, Rock Springs, and Thermopolis. Wyoming legalized HHR games in 2013 and Wyoming Downs is the state’s largest operator with a total handle in 2023 of more than $892 million.

“We are excited to partner with ECL for our second joint investment in horse racing in the United States,” said Michael Wagman, president and managing director of Clairvest. “We look forward to continuing to build the business in Wyoming.”

Nelson, a principal of Wyoming Downs, said his time at Wyoming Downs has been marked by the tremendous relationships forged in the horse racing industry, as well as with clients throughout the state.

“This is a huge win for the State of Wyoming. ECL is the right operator at the right time for Wyoming Downs and will make the state proud,” said Nelson.

Valtus Capital Group, an investment bank specializing in the gaming and real estate industry, is advising Wyoming Downs on the transaction.

ECL, based in Las Vegas, operates live horseracing and four historic horseracing locations in Kentucky, including the Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs as well as charitable gaming locations in New Hampshire that also operate historic horseracing machines.

Clairvest, based in Toronto, is a top performing private equity firm with over US$3 billion of assets under management. This transaction would represent Clairvest’s 16th investment in the gaming space, building on Clairvest’s 24-year track record in the gaming industry.

This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.

Source link

Click to comment

Wyoming

Jim Byrd from Cheyenne steps into the spotlight for Wyoming’s open Senate seat

Published

4 hours ago

February 17, 2026

Press Room

Jim Byrd from Cheyenne steps into the spotlight for Wyoming’s open Senate seat

A long-time Democratic state lawmaker from Cheyenne has thrown his hat into the ring in the race for Wyoming’s open U.S. Senate Seat.

Byrd Spent A Decade In The Wyoming House

Jim Byrd represented District 44 in the Wyoming House from 2009 to 2019. A news release announcing his Senate run says “he has a significant list of bipartisan legislative accomplishments throughout his tenure, including time as Minority Leader. Chief among them is sponsoring bills related to fair employment practices, increasing the state’s minimum wage and improving voting rights.”

Byrd is the son of long-time legislator Liz Byrd, who is perhaps best known for her tireless efforts to get a holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. approved in Wyoming despite significant opposition. Liz Byrd sponsored a Martin Luther King holiday bill nine times before succeeding in her quest when Wyoming finally recognized the slain civil rights leader in 1990.

The release announcing Jim Byrd’s senate run says he is determined to be Wyoming’s representative to Washington D.C. and not Washington’s representative to Wyoming. He believes in education for everyone, public lands in public hands, and that healthcare is the bedrock of a strong and thriving community.

Wyoming last elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate when incumbent Gale McGee won re-election in 1970. The last time the Cowboy State sent any Democrat to either house of congress was 1976, when Teno Roncalio of Rock Springs won his re-election bid.

Senator Cynthia Lummis, who currently holds the seat, is retiring. Congresswoman Harriet Hageman is widely considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the seat.

Check Out the Damages from Cheyenne’s Wild Spring Wind Storm

On April 6 and 7, 2024, wild winds exceeding 90 mph blew through SE Wyoming, causing havoc in Cheyenne and on the interstate. Everything from fences to semis were upturned in the wind storm. Check out the damage shared by residents below.

Gallery Credit: Doug Randall

Source link

Wyoming

Strapped at the Cap’: Lawmakers and lobbyists take advantage of the Wyoming Capitol’s repealed gun-free zone

Published

16 hours ago

February 17, 2026

Press Room

Strapped at the Cap’: Lawmakers and lobbyists take advantage of the Wyoming Capitol’s repealed gun-free zone

by Maya Shimizu Harris, WyoFile CHEYENNE—Mark Jones walked in through a side door of the Wyoming Capitol early Thursday morning. Entering, he noticed that the “no guns” signs once posted throughout the building were gone. “It feels so good,” said Jones, the national director of Gun Owners of America. He carried a concealed 10 mm Glock […]

Source link