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WALLY HALL: Evolution of Oaklawn Park hits new phase

HOT SPRINGS -- It was not a well-kept secret.

For weeks the whispers had been that Oaklawn Park was going to build a hotel -- the murmurs about a turf course surely will happen later -- and that it had nothing to do with whether or not Ballot Issue 4 passed.

Monday in front of a big, impressive crowd it was announced Oaklawn is becoming more of a vacation destination, which will entail building a hotel, conference center and adding 28,000 feet to its gaming facility.

The cost is going to be more than $100 million, and not one penny is coming from the state. It is all private funds provided by Oaklawn, but the winners include Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas as the expanded Oaklawn is expected to generate $250 million in tourist dollars.

Oaklawn long has been the No. 1 tourist attraction in Arkansas, and this will separate it even more from the crowd.

The hotel -- which will be seven stories and 200 rooms -- is not affiliating with a hotel chain and has yet to be named. If the table is open for suggestions, how about calling it The Charles, after the late, great Charles Cella, who was probably yelling "What?" when everyone else was going "Wow" on Monday when Louis Cella, president of Oaklawn Jockey Club, made the announcement.

Louis Cella is a visionary, and the announcement was four years in the making. This was his second major announcement of the year, the first being the changing of racing dates to allow for more spring weather.

Cella made it clear from start to finish this had nothing to do with Ballot Issue 4, and even Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he was informed of the plan in October before the November election. Actually, Oaklawn doesn't talk at all about the ballot issue that could allow two new competitors.

Hot Springs has long been in need of a hotel that is not in receivership or overdue for updates such as the Arlington Hotel, the grand old lady that needs a face-lift and probably some dental work.

Hot Springs may be the most natural city in The Natural State with bath row, lakes, mountains, trails for hiking and biking, and the beautiful downtown that has a lot of attractions, including gangster and gambling museums. Not to mention it has long been a secret foodie city where people can get fantastic meals.

Plus, there will be a 14,000-square-foot multipurpose events center that can accommodate up to 1,500 people that will attract conferences from all over the South.

Hot Springs -- under the direction of Steve Arrison, CEO of the Hot Springs Advertising and Promotion Commission -- is very aggressive in seeking ways to bring tourists to the area. A few months ago, it hosted a Jurassic Quest exhibition that was hands-on for kids, and the line was long from the time it opened until it closed.

"This creates exciting opportunities for Hot Springs tourism," Arrison said about Oaklawn's expansion.

Kane Webb, director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, said this "will thrust Hot Springs into the category of the nation's elite vacation and recreation locations."

Cella made it clear everything being done is to make Oaklawn Park one of the premier thoroughbred tracks in the country, which would make his dad smile.

The last expansion was in 2014, and that's when consideration for a major renovation was first considered. The grand idea is for everything to be completed by the end of 2020, and the new hotel christened on New Year's Eve.

Oaklawn's expansion is a win-win-win.

Sports on 11/20/2018

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