PA Gaming Control Board To Hold Category 3 Licensing Hearings On Aug. 24 In Harrisburg

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will hold Licensing Hearings on the two applications it received for Category 3 gaming licenses in Harrisburg on Thursday Aug. 24, 2006, Chairman Tad Decker said today

The hearings, which will be open to the public, will take place in the Auditorium of the State Museum Building, 3rd and North streets, Decker said

“After the success of our public-input hearings, the licensing hearings mark the beginning of a new, key phase of the application-review process, one in which Board members will take an active role in questioning applicants on issues related to their suitability for licensure,” Decker said.
The Category 3 licensing hearings schedule is:

• 1 p.m. Woodlands Fayette (Farmington)
• 3 p.m. Seven Springs Farm Inc. (Champion)

Under Act 71 of 2004, the Gaming Control Board is authorized to license 14 slot-machine gaming facilities across Pennsylvania. Seven Category 1 licenses are authorized for horse-race tracks; five Category 2 licenses are authorized for standalone slots facilities – two in Philadelphia, one in Pittsburgh and two at tourism-enhanced locations across the state; and two Category 3 licenses are authorized for existing resorts

The Gaming Control Board is considering 22 applications for the 14 licenses – six for Category 1 licenses; 14 for Category 2 licenses, including five in Philadelphia, three in Pittsburgh and six for tourism-enhanced locations; and two for Category 3 licenses.

The Board expects to act on conditional Category 1 license applications in September 2006, and on Category 2, Category 3 and permanent Category 1 applications in December 2006.

The Board previously announced that hearings for conditional Category 1 applicants will take place in Harrisburg on Aug. 7-9.