The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board last week unanimously voted to renew the Category 1 Racetrack Casino operator’s license of Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, LLC, operator of Penn National Gaming’s flagship Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Dauphin County.
The seven-member board determined that Mountainview had fulfilled the obligations under its previously approved casino operator’s license and therefore qualified to have its license renewed for an additional five-year period.
The decision to renew the license was based on a process utilized by the board that enables both the operator and the public to provide information relevant to the renewal decision. A public input hearing was held on October 2 in the casino’s host municipality, East Hanover Township, where personnel of Hollywood Casino submitted exhibits and presented testimony on various aspects of the facility’s operation since its last license renewal was granted in August 2014. The public was also permitted to provide testimony about the casino and its impact in the community.
In reaching its decision, the board also reviewed testimony received at the hearing from local government officials, community groups and the Pennsylvania State Police, along with the Gaming Control Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel, Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement, Office of Compulsive and Problem Gaming, and Bureau of Casino Compliance.
Additionally, a public hearing was held in Harrisburg today to permit board members to further question Mountainview representatives about any remaining issues prior to voting on the renewal. A PowerPoint presentation provided at the meeting is available on the Board’s web site, gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov, under the Board Meetings tab.
Since its opening in November 2006, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course has generated over $2.7 billion in gross revenue from the play of slot machines and table games resulting in a return to the commonwealth of approximately $1.4 billion in gaming tax revenue. Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course currently operates over 2,000 slot machines and 75 table games, while employing more than 900 persons. It also recently opened Pennsylvania’s first sports wagering facility.
