CDI to Acquire Peninsula Pacific Entertainment Assets for $2.49 Billion

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment LLC (P2E) for total consideration of $2.485 billion.

CDI will acquire all of P2E’s assets in Virginia and New York as well as the operations of its Sioux City casino property. The P2E Transaction is dependent on usual and customary closing conditions, including the Company obtaining approvals from the Virginia Racing Commission, the New York State Gaming Commission, and the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2022.

“This unique set of assets expands our geographic footprint and provides additional scale. P2E has done an exceptional job developing and managing this collection of assets, which we are very excited to acquire and plan to strategically grow in the years ahead,” Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of CDI, said.

Colonial Downs Racetrack and Virginia Historical Racing Entertainment Venues

CDI will acquire Colonial Downs Racetrack, a Thoroughbred racing facility in New Kent, Virginia (Colonial Downs), as well as six successful and growing “Rosie’s Gaming Emporium” historical horse racing facilities across Virginia. Rosie’s Gaming Emporium locations currently include Collinsville, Dumfries, Hampton, New Kent, Richmond, and Vinton. These facilities currently have approximately 2700 historical racing machines (HRMs). The transaction significantly expands the geographic diversity of CDI’s live and historical racing entertainment venues and reinforces CDI’s role as a national leader in historical horse racing.

del Lago Resort & Casino in Waterloo, New York

CDI will acquire del Lago Resort & Casino (del Lago) in Waterloo, New York. del Lago is a 96,000 sq. ft. casino with approximately 1700 slot machines, 80 table games, a 205-room hotel, nine restaurants/bar areas, 758 covered parking spaces, a 6000 sq. ft. sportsbook area, a 2400-seat entertainment venue, and a 7200 sq. ft. outdoor event venue.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City, Iowa

CDI will acquire the operations of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City, Iowa (Hard Rock Sioux City). Hard Rock Sioux City is a 45,000 sq. ft. casino with 639 slot machines, 20 table games, a 54-room hotel, 1511 parking spaces with 530 covered, two live entertainment venues, a 100-piece music memorabilia collection, and a Hard Rock-branded sportsbook.

Under the terms of the P2E Transaction, P2E is expected to reach a definitive agreement to sell the real property associated with Hard Rock Sioux City (Sioux City Property) to a third party. CDI will acquire the operating company and lease the Sioux City Property from that third party. Following the closing, CDI will operate Hard Rock Sioux City and lease the Sioux City Property pursuant to lease terms negotiated prior to the closing. In the event P2E is unsuccessful in reaching a definitive agreement with a third party to purchase the Sioux City Property by a certain date, the Sioux City Property will be included in the P2E Transaction and the total consideration will increase to $2.75 billion.

Other Development Rights

Under Virginia law, CDI will have the opportunity to develop up to five additional historical racing entertainment venues in Virginia with collectively up to approximately 2300 additional HRMs. As part of the P2E Transaction, CDI will also acquire the rights to build a large gaming resort (the Dumfries Project), with up to 1800 HRMs in Northern Virginia. P2E previously announced plans to invest up to $400 million to build the initial phase of the Dumfries Project, which is scheduled to open in 2023.

CDI will also acquire the rights to develop Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in Emporia, the seventh historical racing entertainment venue under P2E’s Colonial Downs license. The Emporia facility, located along I-95 near the North Carolina border, will have 150 HRMs and is expected to open in 2023.

Also, included in the P2E Transaction are the rights to P2E’s ongoing effort in partnership with Urban One, to develop ONE Casino + Resort, a $565 million destination casino in Richmond, Virginia.

P2E’s gaming license in the State of Louisiana, and its casino development rights in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, are not included in the transaction.