PA. SLOTS Waiting in Beaver, Lawrence

Both developers are working on their applications for a license to have slot machines.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA STAFF
It appears that in less than a month, the decision finally will be made about whether the state's final harness-racing track license will end up in Lawrence or Beaver county.
Anton Leppler, executive director of the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission, said the decision will likely be made at the Oct. 20 meeting of the three-member commission. The group is meeting Monday for its regular meeting, but no decision is expected then, Leppler said.
But some who support Lawrence County as the location are traveling to Harrisburg on Monday to ensure the county is represented at the meeting.
Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Vogler said he will attend Monday's Harness Racing Commission meeting in support of Bedford Downs, which is a racetrack/casino and entertainment complex proposed by the Shick family on its property on U.S. Route 422 near the Ohio line.
Its competitor is Valley View Downs, a proposed racing complex on 220 acres on Pa. Route 51 in Beaver County. That track is being developed by Indiana-based Centaur Inc.
How they see things
Both developers are optimistic they will come out the winner in the race for the last harness license.
"The Valley View Downs team has been working for this for the last three years. We have been optimistic and continue to be optimistic," said Rick Kelly, Valley View Downs spokesman.
Carmen Shick, president of Bedford Downs, is equally optimistic.
"I'd still like to think we will cross the finish line first," he said.
Both sides say they have already begun work on the 250-page application to operate slot machines that's due to the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission by Oct. 31.
It's unclear how long it will take to get a slots license, but both developers say they will begin site work on their property this spring if awarded the harness track license, even if the gaming commission hasn't issued the slots license. The winner of the harness track license is almost assured to also get a slots license.
Both developers were in Harrisburg last week for a special session of the Harness Racing Commission to approve a consent agreement between the two candidates. Leppler said the agreement allowed the commission to forgo some evidentiary hearings that were scheduled for later in the week.
Although the evidentiary hearings are over, Leppler said the commission is perpetually gathering information to help it decide.
"We never stop investigating, looking and auditing," he said.
cioffi@vindy.com