Keeneland has acquired the food service provider that faithfully has served the racetrack since it opened its gates in 1936. Keeneland’s purchase of family-owned Turf Catering became official Feb. 1. The new in-house service now will be known as Keeneland Hospitality.
“My brother Michael and I are getting up in our 60s now. We don’t have any heirs that will continue the family food and beverage business,” explained Brad Wolken, president of Turf Catering, which has been operated by the Wolken family since 1929.
“The agreement we had been working on (with Keeneland) for the past 12 years had provisions for something like this to occur,” Wolken continued. “I believe our company was the last family-owned concessionaire at any racetrack in the country.”
For the time being, the Wolken family will retain its ownership of the food and beverage service at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
“Yes, this is the culmination of a business succession plan,” Keeneland President Bill Thomason told Business Lexington. “We announced it recently like it was a business acquisition, but it was a succession plan we had worked on with the Wolken family.” The Wolken family leaves Keeneland with more than a little tug at its collective heart.
“We worked with five different Keeneland presidents, going back to my grandfather Joe. I knew them when I was a boy,” said Wolken. “We have pictures of my grandfather there when the track first opened. We have always had a family relation with the Keeneland executives and management. It’s a fabulous, world-class organization in every way.”
Wolken said he feels his company played a part in Keeneland’s success over nearly 80 years and three generations of his family. “It’s been an honor and a privilege,” he said.
Keeneland is proud of its food and beverage offerings, including two treasured menu items race fans look forward to each spring and fall.
“I can assure all of our great fans that we will continue to feature the signature recipes for bread pudding and burgoo,” said Thomason.
Thomason said there will be changes and additions to the leadership of Keenleand Hospitality.
“We are going to be adding resources,” he said. “We’ve got a big year coming up with the enhancements that we’ve put inside our hospitality initiatives and our patron services.”
Thomason said officials will be monitoring the initiatives and making changes as needed.
Wolken said he was pleased Keeneland will continue to provide opportunities for his former Turf Catering employees.
Keeneland is in the process of buying Thunder Ridge harness track in Prestonsburg and moving the racing license to Corbin. If approved, the site would also include an “instant racing” facility with 500 or more slot machine-like terminals that use the outcome of previously run races to determine winners. Live racing could begin in the summer of 2016.
Keeneland also is teaming up with The Red Mile in Lexington to open a similar parlor with 1,000 terminals at the track, possibly by this fall.
But the biggest event at Keeneland this year will be the Breeders’ Cup, Oct. 30 and 31.
“Planning could not be going better,” said Thomason. “The big plans are in place. Now we’re fine-tuning. The excitement continues to build.”
Keeneland’s host committee, chaired by Kip Cornett, president of Cornett Integrated Marketing Solutions, is planning events designed to engage the public. Various segments of the community, such as businesses and horse farms, will participate.
“They will be announcing that as we go along, because there will be so much,” said Thomason.
Thomason said Keeneland will have a capacity of 45,000 for each day of Breeders’ Cup weekend. The biggest single-day record crowd ever at Keeneland was about 40,000 for the 2012 Toyota Blue Grass Day. Fans should expect to have various chalets and luxury seating options that weekend. That will include 8,500 new seats in various areas. Keeneland is trying to “give everyone some elbow room over the grounds,” said Thomason.