Not since Newport's sin city days of the 50's and 60's has there been casino style gambling on this side of the Ohio River.
Newport Racing and Gaming officially opens at 10AM today in the Newport Shopping Center on Monmouth Street.. Inside you will find 500 video style slot machines. The payouts are based on random results from past horse races. The gaming parlor is modeled after Derby City in Louisville and is owned by Churchill Downs.
In addition to playing the machines, you can place bets inside on horse races in the new simulcast center. Chip Bach the General Manager of Newport Racing and Gaming says the revenues generated by the new center will help drive up purses at Turfway Park, "On the other racetracks that have historical horse racing right now , their racing has gone through the roof in terms of the quality of the product." Bach says Turfway's has been "pretty poor for a long time" but he hopes with these new machines Turfway can become "one of the top racetracks during the winter time in the country."
As the $38 million Newport center opens, Churchill Downs is also in the midst of a $100 million renovation of Turfway Park in Florence.