Format Announced For Category 3 Casino License Eligibility/Suitability Hearings

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In order to help the public better understand the format of the upcoming Category 3 resort casino license eligibility/suitability hearings, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today released an outline of the anticipated order of testimony during the November 16th and 17 hearings.

The Board has scheduled a total of four hours for each of the hearings that will help determine an award for this final remaining Category 3 license.  This agenda is not meant to be all-inclusive and may change as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion, as circumstances warrant:

1. Opening remarks by the Board Chair and/or Board Staff

2. A presentation by the Category 3 applicant (anticipated to be up to 2 hours) which should include, but is not limited to, evidence regarding the applicant's eligibility and suitability as defined by the Gaming Act, the gaming facility plan, any comparative presentation  to the plans by other Applicant for this license, plans on the mitigation of any traffic or social concerns, diversity plans, compulsive and problem gaming plans, and other information that it believes is important to the Board.  

3. Questions to the applicant by the Board's Office of Enforcement Counsel and by the Board members, though the Board may also ask questions at any time during the hearing;

4. A presentation by any current licensed casino operator that has filed a Notice of Intent to Contest the eligibility and suitability of an applicant. Each would have fifteen (15) minutes to present any testimony or evidence in support of their position. The following license holders have requested and been granted contester status:

• Sand Bethworks Gaming, LLC, operator of Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, contesting Bushkill Group Inc.
• Downs Racing, LP, operator of Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs contesting Bushkill Group, Inc.
• Washington Trotting Association, Inc, operator of The Meadows Racetrack Casino contesting Woodlands Fayette, LLC
• Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Racecourse contesting Penn Harris Gaming, LP.

5. Questions to the contester from the Board's Office of Enforcement Counsel and the Board members

6. Rebuttal by the applicant to testimony of the contester.  An applicant is allotted up to fifteen (15) minutes of total time to present rebuttal  

7. Statements by Board staff

8. Short closing argument by the applicant

The public is welcome to attend and observe the hearings at the Pennsylvania State Museum located at the corner of Third and North Streets in Harrisburg. On Tuesday, November 16th, the hearing for Mason-Dixon Resorts, LP will be held from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm the Bushkill Group, Inc. will present.  The hearing for Woodlands Fayette, LLC will be held the next day, November 17th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and concludes with a hearing for Penn Harris Gaming, LP from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

The information from these hearings, along with information gathered by the PGCB's Bureaus of Investigations and Enforcement and Licensing, and testimony/public comments gathered earlier, will become part of the evidentiary record considered by the Board. The other Category 3 license was awarded to Valley Forge Resort Casino on April 8, 2009.

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 40 years, the Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state's casino industry.  To date, with ten casinos in operation, legalized gaming in the Commonwealth has created over 13,000 new living wage jobs, revenue that has provided property tax reduction in each of the past three years for all homeowners, funds that have reinvigorated Pennsylvania's horse racing industry, and new revenue to local governments that has funded scores of community projects.  A wealth of information about the Gaming Control Board and Pennsylvania's gaming industry can be found at www.pgcb.state.pa.us.  At this web site, visitors can view videos of Board meetings and on the operation of the PGCB, obtain  information on identifying a gambling problem and gaining assistance, look up future meeting schedules and past meeting transcripts, access an interactive map of casino locations, request a speaker for their group, along with much more information.

CONTACT: Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey

(717) 346-8321

SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board