Ohio Racing Panel Advances Track Relocation Rules
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Penn National Gaming Inc. could see its application to move its thoroughbred license from outside Columbus to Austintown approved in two months, a Penn National spokesman said.
The Ohio State Racing Commission in Columbus voted Thursday to submit revised track license relocation rules to the state's Joint Commission on Agency Rule Review, and the approval process should take about 30 days, said Penn National's Bob Tenenbaum.
"The chairman indicated that he believed they will be able to act on our relocation application at their March meeting," he said. The commission is tentatively scheduled to meet Feb. 21 and March 21, according to its website.
"I don’t see anything in this timeframe that would interrupt the work. We're still looking at the 2014 opening," Tenenbaum said. "Obviously the sooner we get the formal approval to relocate the better, but at this point we don't see any particular problems with our construction timeline."
Penn National, of Wyomissing, Pa., submitted applications several months ago to relocate the Beulah Park thoroughbred license to Austintown as well as from a second track from Toledo to Dayton.
In late 2012 site preparation work began on the site of the proposed Hollywood Slots at Mahoning Valley Race Course, located at the former Centerpointe Business Park on Route 46 in Austintown.
On Jan. 17, Penn National, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and Turner Construction, the construction manager for the $125 million project, will host a community outreach event for contractors and vendors interested in participating in the construction.
About 100 individuals attended a similar event in Dayton, Tenenbaum said.
A separate event will be held closer to the completion of construction for vendors interested in providing other products and services for the track, he said.
Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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