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Latest Press Releases
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 27th, 2015

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
P.O. Box 69060
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9060

CONTACT

Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey (717) 346-8321

PA Gaming Control Board To Hold Public Hearings On June 2nd And 3rd

for Rivers and Meadows Casinos’ License Renewals

HARRISBURG, PA:    The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it would hold public hearings on Tuesday, June 2 and Wednesday, June 3, 2015 to gather evidence, including public comment, on the renewals of the casino licenses for Holdings Acquisition Co., L.P., operator of the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, and Washington Trotting Association, Inc., operator of The Meadows Casino in Washington County.

Citizens, community groups and elected officials wishing to present oral or written testimony, which will become part of the evidentiary record in this matter, can now register for either of these events by clicking special links on the Quick Links section of the homepage on the PGCB website, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. 

The June 2nd hearing for the Rivers Casino, a Category 2 Stand Alone Casino, will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Allegheny County Courthouse - Gold Room, 436 Grant St., Pittsburgh. The deadline for registration to speak at this hearing is noon on Sunday, May 31st. Written comments can also be mailed, with a postmark no later than Friday, May 29th to the PA Gaming Control Board, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA  17106, Attention: Board Clerk.  The comments can also be faxed prior to that deadline to 717-265-7416.

The June 3rd hearing for The Meadows Casino, a Category 1 Racetrack Casino, will begin at 11:00 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse - Room 104, 100 W Beau St., Washington, Pennsylvania. The deadline for registration to speak at this hearing is noon on Monday, June 1st. Written comments can also be mailed, with a postmark no later than Friday, May 29th to the PA Gaming Control Board, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA 17106, Attention: Board Clerk.  The comments can also be faxed prior to that deadline to 717-265-7416.

Pursuant to section 1326 of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, all licenses shall be subject to renewal every three years.  The renewal application must include an update of the information since its last renewal. 

To implement the renewal requirement, the Board utilizes a two-step process: 

First, the June 2nd and 3rd public hearings will be held before the Director of the Office of Hearings and Appeals for the purpose of receiving documentary evidence, hearing testimony and building a record upon which the Board will base its licensing decisions.  The hearing record, along with a report from the Director of Hearings and Appeals, will be transmitted to the Board.

The second step is to hold separate public hearings in Harrisburg at a later date for each renewal applicant where Board members can ask additional questions and the parties may offer oral argument.  At the renewal hearings, the burden is on the renewal applicants to establish and demonstrate, by clear and convincing evidence, their eligibility and suitability for renewal of its license.  During the hearings, the renewal applicants will be given the opportunity to demonstrate, among other things, their good character, honesty and integrity; compliance with their statements of conditions; tax revenue generated; jobs created; amenities added since their last renewals; success in implementing diversity plans, and involvement in the surrounding communities. 

Following these proceedings, the Board will then be able to determine whether or not these licenses remain eligible and suitable consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth, and are otherwise qualified to have the licenses renewed for a three-year period.

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board:

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was established in 2004 and is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state’s casino industry. There are 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos in operation, along with the two resort casinos.  These facilities collectively employ 17,200 people and generate an average of $3.7 million per day in tax revenue from slot machine and table games play. The largest portion of that money is used for property tax reduction to all Pennsylvania homeowners with additional tax revenue going to the horse racing industry, economic development projects, fire companies, county fairs, water and sewer projects, the Commonwealth’s General Fund, and to local governments that host casinos.

Additional information about both the PGCB’s regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania’s gaming industry can be found at www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.

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