Churchill Downs closes Miami casino three weeks after reopening

July 6, 2020 8:01 PM
  • Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports
July 6, 2020 8:01 PM
  • Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports

Churchill Downs’ casino in Miami closed Friday – three weeks following its reopening – after government officials ordered entertainment venues to close due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the area.

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In a statement Monday, Kentucky-based Churchill Downs said it “temporarily suspended” operations at the Calder Casino in Miami Gardens following the emergency order from Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

Churchill Downs officials said the company would work with Miami-Dade County and Florida officials to reopen Calder “as soon as it is appropriate to do so.”

Calder Casino is located near Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins. The 106,000 square-foot facility has approximately 1,100 slot machines.

The property is the company’s first to reclose after opening following a March shutdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Churchill Downs reopened Rivers Des Plaines in Des Plaines, Illinois, the company’s joint venture casino with Rush Street Gaming.

Shares of Churchill Downs closed at $130.03 on the Nasdaq Monday, down $2.11 or 1.6%.

Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.