What do the IceMen bring to Owensboro?
In addition to $600,000 in payroll and investing $4-6 million in renovations to the Sportscenter, IceMen owner, Ron Geary, has also agreed to “make the best effort to create a sports and simulcasting restaurant that will generate another $600,000 in payroll,” according to Mayor Ron Payne.
At the press conference to announce the relocation of the IceMen to Owensboro, Geary mentioned a proposed downtown restaurant that will feature off-track betting. Geary also owns Ellis Park.
“Under regulations with the thoroughbred horse industry, we are allowed off-track betting within 50 miles of Ellis Park,” Geary explained. “Seeing all the developments downtown, it was suggested that we could add off-track betting down by the river (in downtown Owensboro).”
Geary plans to apply for approval from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Horse Racing Commission in October 2016 for calendar year 2017.
