HARRISBURG, Pa., April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that it would
hold public hearings on Tuesday, June
2 and Wednesday, June 3, 2015
to gather evidence, including public comment, on the renewals of
the casino licenses for Holdings Acquisition Co., L.P., operator of
the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh,
and Washington Trotting Association, Inc., operator of The Meadows
Casino in Washington County.
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 for either of
these events by clicking special links on the Quick Links section
of the homepage on the PGCB website,
www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov.
The June 2nd hearing for the
Rivers Casino, a Category 2 Stand Alone Casino, will begin at
1:00 p.m. at the Allegheny County Courthouse - Gold Room, 436
Grant St., Pittsburgh. The
deadline for registration to speak at this hearing is noon on
Sunday, May 31st. Written
comments can also be mailed, with a postmark no later than
Friday, May 29th to the PA Gaming
Control Board, P.O. Box 69060, Harrisburg, PA 17106, Attention: Board
Clerk. The comments can also be faxed prior to that deadline
to 717-265-7416.
The June 3rd hearing for The
Meadows Casino, a Category 1 Racetrack Casino, will begin at
11:00 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse - Room 104, 100 W
Beau St., Washington, Pennsylvania. The deadline for registration to
speak at this hearing is noon on Monday,
June 1st. Written comments can also be mailed,
with a postmark no later than Friday, May
29th to the PA Gaming Control Board, P.O. Box 69060,
Harrisburg, PA 17106, Attention:
Board Clerk. The comments can also be faxed prior to that
deadline to 717-265-7416.
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 since its last
renewal.
To implement the renewal requirement, the Board utilizes a
two-step process:
First, the June 2nd and
3rd public hearings 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 decisions. 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 separate public hearings in
Harrisburg at a later date for
each renewal applicant where Board members can ask additional
questions and the parties may offer oral argument. At the
renewal hearings, the burden is on the renewal applicants to
establish and demonstrate, by clear and convincing evidence, their
eligibility and suitability for renewal of its license.
During the hearings, the renewal applicants will be given the
opportunity to demonstrate, among other things, their good
character, honesty and integrity; compliance with their statements
of conditions; tax revenue generated; jobs created; amenities added
since their last renewals; success in implementing diversity plans,
and involvement in the surrounding communities.
Following these proceedings, the Board will then be able to
determine whether or not these licenses remain eligible and
suitable consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth, and are
otherwise qualified to have the licenses renewed for a three-year
period.
About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board:
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board was established in 2004 and
is tasked to oversee all aspects of the state's casino industry.
There are 10 stand-alone and racetrack casinos in operation, along
with the two resort casinos. These facilities collectively
employ 17,200 people and generate an average of $3.7 million per day in tax revenue from slot
machine and table games play. The largest portion of that money is
used for property tax reduction to all Pennsylvania homeowners with additional tax
revenue going to the horse racing industry, economic development
projects, fire companies, county fairs, water and sewer projects,
the Commonwealth's General Fund, and to local governments that host
casinos.
Additional information about both the PGCB's regulatory efforts
and Pennsylvania's gaming industry
can be found at www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. You can also follow
the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.
CONTACT: Doug Harbach
or Richard
McGarvey
(717) 346-8321
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pa-gaming-control-board-to-hold-public-hearings-on-june-2nd-and-3rd-for-rivers-and-meadows-casinos-license-renewals-300072423.html
SOURCE Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board