Churchill Downs Incorporated
Churchill Downs Incorporated Announces Multi-Year Naming Rights Partnership Between Churchill Downs Racetrack and Sports Illustrated
Churchill Downs Incorporated announced a multi-year partnership between Churchill Downs Racetrack (Churchill Downs) and Sports Illustrated for exclusive naming rights of a new luxury dining experience, Club SI, ahead of the historic 150th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4, 2024. Originally planned as the 1895 Club, Club SI is scheduled to debut on Opening Night of Derby Week and offer guests a modern, sophisticated race day experience.
Club SI will debut as part of the $200 million renovated Paddock Project at Churchill Downs for the upcoming 150th Kentucky Derby and offer a new luxury equine-focused dining experience with an immersive view of the all-new Paddock and Paddock Runway giving guests unparalleled behind-the-scenes experiences. The interior design of Club SI will showcase iconic Sports Illustrated magazine covers, editorial featuring past Kentucky Derby races, and a sneak peek into Sports Illustrated’s new SI Resorts vertical. Each year, celebrity ambassadors will act as hosts for Club SI during the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks for a premium race day experience. With a guest list that includes titans of the sports industry and appointed with iconic Sports Illustrated editorial artwork, Club SI will offer an elevated, exciting and more unique Derby weekend than ever available before.
The club will be open on premium race days and include dining tables to accommodate parties of two, four, six, or eight guests who will enjoy gourmet dishes from the curated Chef’s Table Buffet, designated wagering windows, private bars, and outdoor trackside viewing for live races. Steps from the club, guests will be treated to the SI Enclosure which will deliver a front-row experience of the Paddock with covered outdoor dining tables to accommodate parties of four.
“As we approach the 150th Kentucky Derby, we are thrilled to partner with a brand as iconic as Sports Illustrated to offer guests an enhanced way to enjoy this incredible anniversary event. Sports Illustrated shares our goal of combining exciting sports moments with upscale entertainment, and Club SI will provide the perfect space to achieve this,” Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack, said.
“It is an honor to bring Club SI to Churchill Downs Racetrack, which has such a rich history that we’ve showcased through the pages of Sports Illustrated for decades. Club SI will celebrate iconic elements of the brand, while hosting celebrity talent and offering guests gourmet cuisine and cocktails, a unique vantage point of the new Paddock, and a once-in-a-lifetime horse racing experience for Derby 150,” said Michael Sherman, SVP of Media Brands at Authentic Brands Group, owner of the Sports Illustrated brand.
Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced that Michael Lilly has been promoted to President of TwinSpires Horse Racing, the leading provider of legal online horse betting sites and the official wagering partner of the Kentucky Derby. In this role, Lilly will be responsible for the overall strategy and operation of the TwinSpires Horse Racing business within CDI’s TwinSpires Segment.
Lilly brings over 20 years of financial experience and organizational leadership experience to the role. Lilly joined CDI in 2018 as the Senior Director of Finance at Arlington Racecourse before his promotion to Vice President of Finance of CDI’s TwinSpires Segment in 2020 and subsequent role as Vice President of Finance and Operations of the Company’s TwinSpires Segment in 2022. Prior to joining CDI, Lilly held several financial leadership roles in the Chicago area. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Northern Illinois University and a Master of Business Administration from DePaul University.
Churchill Downs Incorporated announced internal senior leadership promotions in the Company’s corporate gaming operations division. Mike Rich has been named Vice President of Gaming Operations where he will provide day-to-day oversight for a segment of CDI’s gaming properties. Colin Spewak has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing for Gaming Operations where he will oversee the planning, organization, and direction of marketing strategy for CDI’s gaming segment.
Rich brings 22 years of gaming experience most recently serving as Vice President for CDI and General Manager of the Company’s Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he managed the successful opening of the $290 million casino resort. Prior to joining CDI, Rich held several operational management roles with Caesars Entertainment and Harrah’s in multiple jurisdictions. Rich holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration from The Ohio State University.
Spewak brings nearly 13 years of experience in the gaming industry, most recently serving as Sr. Director of Marketing Operations for CDI where he oversaw database marketing, email and direct mail strategies across the Company’s portfolio of casino and HRM properties. Prior to joining CDI in 2021, he held various marketing and operations roles with Caesars Entertainment. Spewak holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Marketing and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri.
Both Rich and Spewak will report directly to CDI’s Executive Vice President for Gaming Operations, Maureen Adams. CDI will move quickly to fill the role of General Manager of Terre Haute Casino Resort.
NBC Sports will continue to present the Kentucky Derby on NBC and Peacock through 2032, as Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) and NBC Sports announced a multi-year extension of their partnership.
The extension of the NBC Sports-Churchill Downs relationship – which began with the 2001 “Run for the Roses” – will make NBC the longest running home of the Kentucky Derby, as NBCUniversal will become the first media company to present the most prestigious event in horse racing for three decades (32 editions of the Kentucky Derby from 2001-32).
“As we celebrate the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs is proud to extend the relationship with NBC Sports. As our media partner for the last 23 years, NBC has artfully captured the most exciting two minutes in sports and the spectacle of the senses that surrounds it,” said Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen.
“Telling the rich stories surrounding the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May is part of the fabric of NBC Sports, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition with Churchill Downs. We look forward to surrounding the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby with wall-to-wall coverage and extensive promotion on the platforms of NBCUniversal,” said Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports.
The extension includes multiplatform rights to the Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, and Derby and Oaks Day programming, which will be presented on NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and additional NBCU platforms.
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