Gaming Control Board Announces Expanded Public Input Schedule For Philadelphia Casino License

Registration to Speak or Submit Written Comments on Projects Now Available on PGCB Web Site

HARRISBURG, PA: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced today that it has added an additional date and location to collect public input for the awarding of the second casino license in Philadelphia.

The Board had previously announced that two days of public input hearings are planned for April 11 and 12, 2013 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. In order to ensure that those interested in speaking and placing testimony on the record are heard, Gaming Control Board Chairman William H. Ryan, Jr. said a third day has been added on May 8, 2013 at Lincoln Financial Field, West Club Level.

“The Board is committed to providing a hearing schedule that helps as many persons as possible attend these important meetings to present testimony,” Ryan said. “We believe that scheduling an additional hearing date in a separate section of the city will help us to meet that commitment.”

Ryan said those that are interested in registering to speak on any of the days can find information on the Board’s web site, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. Access to this information can be obtained through a special link on the Quick Links section of the web site’s home page titled “Philadelphia Casino Applicants Information”. Ryan said visitors to that section of the web site will also find important information on each applicant to assist in crafting testimony or written remarks.

“It is essential that we make information on each applicant easily accessible,” Ryan said. “Items such as applications, presentations made at the recent forum, local impact and diversity reports and ownership interests in the projects have now been placed on the web site.”

Ryan added that a full video of the Philadelphia Casino Forum held February 12th can also be accessed and viewed from that web site page.

SCHEDULE FOR HEARINGS
At Pennsylvania Convention Center – Room 114

April 11th 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
April 12th 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

At Lincoln Financial Field – West Club Level

May 8th 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Public input hearings provide a forum for individuals to voice their support or opposition to a proposed casino in their communities.

Information received by the Board during these proceedings will be included in the record upon which the Board will grant or deny licenses.

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board:
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was established in 2004 with the passage of Act 71, also known as the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act. Pennsylvania’s first new state agency in nearly 30 years, the Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state’s casino industry. The 11 casinos in operation all offer both slot machine and table game gambling, employ over 16,000 people, and collectively generate an average of $4 million per day in tax revenue. A portion of that money is used for property tax reduction to all Pennsylvania homeowners; provide funds to the Commonwealth’s horse racing industry, fire companies, a statewide water and sewer project grant program, and the state’s General Fund; and, established a new stream of tax revenue to local governments that host casinos for community projects.

A wealth of information about the Gaming Control Board’s regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania’s gaming industry can be found at www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. At this website, visitors can watch Board meetings live or view videos of past meetings, look up future meeting schedules and past meeting transcripts, obtain information on identifying a gambling problem and gaining assistance, access an interactive map of casino locations, request a speaker for their group, along with much more information. You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.

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