Bedford Downs to act on racetrack decision
The companies have 30 days to appeal the commission's decision to court.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Bedford Downs President Carmen Shick said he intends to take action very soon on the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission's decision to deny a license to his proposed Lawrence County racetrack.
Bedford Downs and the Beaver County project, Valley View Downs, were both rejected late last month in their bids for the state's last harness racing track license. An 87-page report detailing the commission's decision was released last week.
The commission cited problems with the site and design for Valley View Downs.
The report praised the Bedford Downs plans for a one-mile harness racing track and its grandstand/casino design, but turned down its racing license because of problems with financing and allegations that Shick's deceased grandfather, Carmen Ambrosia, had ties to organized crime. The report contends the land where Shick has proposed the track was first acquired by Ambrosia. The report emphasized that the commission did not believe Shick or his partners -- his brother, Kenneth Shick, and sister, Kendra Tabak -- had any ties to organized crime.
Appeals expected
Anton Leppler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission, said he has not heard from Bedford Downs or Valley View Downs, but expects something to be filed by both in the next month.
He added that the commission will not reopen the application process for the last license to anyone else until Bedford and Valley View have had a chance to appeal the commission's decision.
Leppler said Bedford Downs and Valley View Downs each have 30 days from the day they officially received the adjudication report to file a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court. They also have a 15-day window to ask the commission to reconsider its decision.
Shick would not say which action he planned to take, but promised it would be meaningful.
"Ben Franklin once said that 'The sting of a reproach is in the truth.' We believe that, not only will our reproach be based in truth, but it will have quite a sting," Shick said.
cioffi@vindy.com