PA Gaming Control Board to Hold Public Hearing on August 20th on Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course License Renewal
Public is welcome and invited to participate
HARRISBURG, Pa., July 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it would hold a public hearing on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 to gather evidence, including public comment, on the renewal of the casino license of Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, operator of Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County.
The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the East Hanover Township Building, 8848 Jonestown Road in Grantville, Pennsylvania.
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 by clicking on a special link on the Quick Links section of homepage on the PGCB website, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. The deadline for registration to speak at the hearing is noon on Monday, August 19th.
Written comments can also be mailed, with a postmark no later than Monday, August 19th, to the PA Gaming Control Board, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA 17106, Attention: Board Secretary. The comments can be faxed prior to that deadline to 717-346-8350.
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 contained in the initial application.
To implement the renewal requirement, the Board utilizes a two-step process:
First, the August 20th public hearing 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 decision. 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 a public hearing in Harrisburg where Board members can ask additional questions and the parties may offer oral argument. At the renewal hearings, the burden is on the renewal applicant to establish and demonstrate, by clear and convincing evidence, its eligibility and suitability for renewal of its license. During the hearing, the licensee will be given the opportunity to demonstrate, among other things, its good character, honesty and integrity; compliance with its statement of conditions; tax revenue generated; jobs created; amenities added since opening of the casino; success in implementing its diversity plan, and involvement in the surrounding community. The date for that hearing has not been set as of yet.
Following these proceedings, the Board will then be able to determine whether or not the licensee remains eligible and suitable consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth, and is otherwise qualified to have its license renewed for a three-year period.
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 12 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.
CONTACT: Doug Harbach or Richard McGarvey
(717) 346-8321
SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
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