After years of talks, an off-track betting facility may finally land in Hoffman Estates by the fall.
The final site plan for a restaurant that would offer OTB in the village's economic development area won unanimous approval this week from the village's planning and zoning commission. Village board members could grant final approval Monday.
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Buffalo Grove delays talks on OTB proposalThe restaurant, called The Saddle Room, would be built on land currently owned by Cabela's, at 2559 Pratum Ave., just west of the hunting, fishing and outdoor gear supplier and north of the Sears Centre Arena.
“Everyone's on board,” Senior village planner Jim Donahue said. No residents turned out for a public hearing on the plan Wednesday, he added.
According to a staff report, the proposed 11,670-square-foot restaurant includes two dining rooms, a lounge, a wine bar, an outdoor patio and an OTB room.
“It's going to be a high-end restaurant,” Donahue said, adding that it has a “really unique interior layout” with a horse racing theme.
The OTB room will be separate from the rest of the restaurant and feature 3,800 square feet of betting area with several booths and private rooms. Horse racing from around the country will be aired via satellite in the room.
Donahue said the village and Cook County will each receive 1 percent of the “handle,” or dollars wagered at the facility. He said the owner expects to bring in about $14 million in handle per year once the facility is operational, generating $140,000 annually for both the village and county.
The OTB area will be open the same hours as the restaurant, which are anticipated to be from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sunday, 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday through Saturday.
The owner, who owns a similar restaurant called The Turf Room in North Aurora, will partner with Illinois OTB to offer the betting services. Illinois OTB already has received approval from the Illinois Racing Board to operate the facility.
A few years ago, Donahue said, a plan to build the same restaurant at the corner of Pratum Avenue and Prairie Stone Parkway was approved by the village, but financing for the project fell through.
If the village board approves the plan Monday, construction on the restaurant is expected to begin by the end of next month, Donahue said. The owner, he said, is hoping to open the restaurant by late September.
