Hawthorne is a shit track in a shit neighborhood. Why would anyone want to go there? Maybe to get mugged.
Same could have been said about Sportsmans. Maywood to the south down 1st Avenue is tough. At least Balmoral is in the middle of nowhere.
As far as casinos, Potowatomi is in a train yard. Harrah's Joliet is in creepy downtown. Grand Vic ditto.
The location of a track is not really important.
Hawthorne screwed the pooch by running out of money to remodel the grandstand into a casino floor.
Hawthorne is running hy an idiot.
The Illinois racing business is on life support.