Hawthorne Race Course

Racing board declines bankrupt applicant with track sold to data center builder

The Illinois Racing Board denied Hawthorne Race Course's request to hold races next year after its Stickney site was sold to data center developer Digital Realty following bankruptcy. The sale has faced opposition from Stickney and Cicero officials, with Stickney enacting a six-month moratorium on data centers and residents raising environmental concerns about electricity, noise, and water usage.