PA Gaming Control Board Announces Details of 4th Philadelphia-area Hearing

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced details of its fourth day of public-input hearings on proposed gaming facilities in the Philadelphia area.

The additional hearings, which will cover applications for two gaming facilities at Philadelphia-area racetracks, will take place on Friday May 12, 2006, at the Bossone Building Auditorium on the campus of Drexel University in Philadelphia. The Bossone Building is on Market Street between 31st and 32nd streets. The hearings will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m.

These hearings are in addition to the previously announced hearing dates of April 10-12, 2006, which will cover five proposals for to standalone gaming licenses in the City of Philadelphia.

Registrants are being notified by mail of the hearing at which they will have an opportunity to testify. Those who cannot attend this hearing may submit written comments for inclusion in the evidentiary record that will have a weight equal to testimony presented in person. A copy of the comment-submission form and instructions for filing it are included in the mail notification to registrants.

People who submit written comments will have until June 2, 2006, to send their comments by mail to the Gaming Control Board for inclusion in the evidentiary record.

The mailing address for written comments is:
Office of the Clerk
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
PO Box 69060
Harrisburg, PA 17106

All other rules and procedures governing the hearings remain as originally announced. For further details, visit the Gaming Control Board’s Web site, www.pgcb.state.pa.us, and click on the “Public-Input Hearings” button.

Overall, there are 18 days of hearings scheduled for nine locations across the Commonwealth. The Gaming Control Board is considering 22 applications for the 14 gaming licenses authorized by Act 71 of 2004.

The full schedule of hearings and applications to be considered at each are as follows, with new dates noted.

    • April 5, Gettysburg, Gettysburg College (Crossroads Gaming)
    • April 6, Harrisburg, State Museum (Mountainview) (NOTE: This hearing begins at 1 p.m.)
    • April 7, Harrisburg, State Museum (Crossroads Gaming)
    • April 10-12, Philadelphia, Drexel University (HSP Gaming; Philadelphia Entertainment & Development; PNK (Pa), LLC; Riverwalk Casino; Keystone Redevelopment)
    • April 18-19, Pittsburgh, Omni William Penn Hotel (IOC Pittsburgh Inc.; PITG Gaming; Station Square Gaming)
    • April 21, Erie, Gannon University (Presque Isle Downs)
    • April 27, Poconos, Split Rock Resort (Downs Racing; Mount Airy; Pocono Manor)
    • April 28, Lehigh Valley, Crowne Plaza Allentown Hotel (Sands Bethworks Gaming; Boyd PA Partners; Tropicana PA, LLC)
    • May 2, Uniontown, Holiday Inn Holidome & Conference Center (Woodlands Fayette)
    • May 3, Somerset, Hidden Valley Resort (Seven Springs Farm)
    • May 10, Pittsburgh, Omni William Penn Hotel (Washington Trotting)
    • NEW DATE: May 12, Philadelphia, Drexel University (Chester Downs; Greenwood Gaming)
    • May 17, Gettysburg, Gettysburg College (Crossroads Gaming)
    • May 22, Lehigh Valley, Crowne Plaza Allentown Hotel (Sands Bethworks Gaming; Boyd PA Partners; Tropicana PA, LLC)
    • May 23, Lehigh Valley, Crowne Plaza Allentown Hotel (Sands Bethworks Gaming; Boyd PA Partners; Tropicana PA, LLC)

By law, the Gaming Control Board is responsible for issuing gaming licenses to seven horse-racing tracks; five standalone facilities, including two in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh; and two existing resorts.