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VLTs Arrive for Installation at Hollywood Gaming
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio -- Penn National Gaming Inc. plans to announce an opening date soon for its Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course here.
The $250 million racetrack, dining and gaming facility took delivery Monday on the first 24 of the 850 video lottery terminals that will operate once it opens, sometime this fall.
“We don’t have a specific date for that announcement yet,” Penn National spokesman Bob Tenenbaum said. “It’s dependent primarily on construction milestones, since we’ve already received our temporary VLT license from the [Ohio] Lottery Commission.”
Thoroughbred racing at the track, under construction just off state Route 46, will begin Nov. 24.
Once it fully opens, the one-mile thoroughbred racetrack will feature more than 1,000 enclosed, track-view grandstand seats and a simulcast theater where patrons can wager on races at tracks across the United States.
Wyomissing, Pa.-based Penn National announced Monday that its Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway will open Aug. 28. The company also announced that approximately 24 VLTs from manufacturer Multimedia Games arrived at the Austintown site. Additional shipments are scheduled over the next several weeks from other manufacturers including Bally Technologies, Konami Gaming, Aristocrat and WMS, the company said.
“Physically receiving the first of our VLTs is a big step for us,” said Mike Galle, general manager of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course, in the news release. “We’ll begin installing them soon. Construction work continues at a rapid pace on both the interior and exterior of the gaming facility and the racetrack complex.”
Interior finish work such as floor coverings and wall treatments is beginning, along with installation of security and surveillance equipment and back-of-the-house equipment such as in the kitchens, Tenenbaum said. Installation of the VLT’s will begin once the necessary electrical and data connections are in place.
The company is in the process of conducting second interviews with many of the approximately 2,700 applicants who attended the two job fairs held here and in Youngstown last month, and is beginning to make job offers to successful candidates, Tenenbaum said. The racino is still accepting online applications at its hiring website and will post additional positions as it moves toward opening, he added.
The gaming center looks to fill some 400 positions initially, about 65% of which will be full-time. Job opportunities include food and beverage personnel, video lottery terminal technicians and attendants, and staff in finance, accounting, player services, racing operations, facilities, environmental services, security and surveillance. Positions directly related to the racing operation include mutuel tellers to accept wagers, positions at the gate and in track maintenance, track announcer and track veterinarian.
Pay for entry-level hourly workers ranges from $30,000 to $40,000 annually, including tips. Full-time team members are eligible for benefits including health insurance, 401K, employee assistance, short- and long-term disability, tuition reimbursement, bereavement leave and paid time off.
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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