Accel Entertainment to Acquire Fairmount Holdings
Accel Entertainment Inc. and Fairmount Holdings Inc. announced that the companies have entered into an agreement for Accel to acquire Fairmount, the owner of FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing, for total consideration of approximately $35 million (based on a 20-day trailing average), payable to the sellers as 3.45 million shares of Accel Class A-1 common stock. The strategic transaction adds a promising single-site racetrack and future casino to extend Accel’s convenience gaming expertise to a larger and more concentrated venue – an adjacency in Local Gaming that is complementary to Accel’s steadily growing, route-based footprint.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, Fairmount generated $29 million of revenue and modest Adjusted EBITDA. Accel plans to invest $85-$95 million (over and above the purchase price) to fund temporary and then permanent casino construction and modest track investments. Accel’s five-year forecast suggests an Adjusted EBITDA potential of $20 to $25 million and over 75% free cash flow conversion – pointing to a compelling cash flow return on capital. The asset will be the cornerstone in a local gaming platform that builds on Accel’s capabilities and strengths as a leading route-based operator.
“As a leading distributed gaming operator in the United States, we are excited to partner with ‘Hall of Fame’ value creators Bill Stiritz and Rob Vitale to deploy our local gaming expertise in this promising sportsbook, racetrack and future casino,” said Andy Rubenstein, Accel co-founder, President, CEO and Director.
“We’re also deeply grateful to Mayor Jeff Stehman of Collinsville, state representatives Jay Hoffman (113th District) and Katie Stuart (112th District), state senator Chris Belt (57th District), the Illinois Gaming Board and the Illinois Racing Board for their support of this opportunity to reinvest and support job creation in the southern Illinois and greater St. Louis community. We are excited to be a part of an almost 100-year-old southern Illinois institution in Fairmount Park and support the Illinois agriculture and equine industries,” Rubenstein added.
“I am delighted by Accel Entertainment’s purchase of FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing. This move is a testament to the vitality and potential of Collinsville. It will undoubtedly spur economic development along the Collinsville road corridor, creating jobs and bolstering our local economy. We look forward to the positive impact this acquisition will have on our city,” stated Mayor Jeff Stehman of Collinsville, IL.
“We couldn’t have found better partners than Andy and his team in this transaction, and we look forward to staying fully aligned on this journey as significant equity owners from here,” noted William Stiritz.
“We’ve long sought strategically aligned, well capitalized and proven operators in the local gaming space to realize the full potential of this sportsbook and racetrack, and Accel is the ideal fit,” said Rob Vitale, current CEO and Chairman of Post Holdings.
