Harness racing coming to Hillsville area

HILLSVILLE, Pa. — Harness racing is coming to Lawrence County.

The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission awarded its last racing license to Centaur Inc., which will locate its race track and casino, called Valley View Downs, along U.S. Route 422 in Mahoning Township, not far from the Ohio border.

The group, based out of Indiana, is purchasing 250 acres of land from Carmen Shick and his family. The Shicks had proposed building their own harness track and casino on the property, and it was to be called Bedford Downs.

Both Bedford and Valley View, which was initially proposed to be built in Beaver County, Pa., were rejected by the harness racing commission nearly two years ago. The matter was taken to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court which ordered the commission to reconsider both proposals.

Centaur submitted it’s new proposal today to build in Lawrence County. The commission voted 2-0 to award the last harness racing license available in the state to Centaur.

Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Vogler said during Centaur’s presentation officials noted that Lawrence County would receive $16.6 million annually from the gaming revenue produced from the 3,000 slot machines expected at the facility. That money could be used for economic development in the county, he said.

The facility is expected to employee 1,000 people full and part time when opened and a total of 2,200 people directly and indirectly during its construction, Vogler said.

For more on this story, see Thursday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com.