Lawrence officials get look at plan for racetrack-casino

The complex eventually could include a 300-room hotel.

By JEANNE STARMACK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Groundbreaking is getting closer for a harness racing track and casino complex that is expected to mean $15 million for Lawrence County.

Valley View Downs, a development by Centaur Gaming Inc. of Indianapolis, finished its review with the county planning department Tuesday.

Architects presented renderings of the site plan to the department at noon at Lanigan’s, a downtown restaurant.

The 250-acre site is at U.S. Route 422 between Baird Road and Pa. Route 551 in Mahoning Township.

Plans call for a 270,000-square-foot main building with three staggered walls of glass windows that front the mile-long track. Behind them will be the seating for patrons, said Steven Henkelman of Cope Linder Architects in Philadelphia, which drew the plans.

On the other side of the building is an elaborate entrance for patrons.

Future expansion at the complex could include a 300-room hotel, Henkelman said.

The planning department, an advisory board, is recommending the township take into account comments about the site plan from the county engineer. Some of those comments point out deficiencies, such as the plan’s not properly locating building setback lines with regard to a relocation of Baird Road. The right of way for that relocation also isn’t shown, the engineer’s office said.

The engineer’s office also said the developer needs to find a place for sewage disposal from an above-ground storage tank besides New Castle’s waste plant. The city’s plant can’t take the extra sewage, the engineer’s office says.

Rick Kelly, communications spokesman for the developer, said that nothing in the comments is insurmountable.

“We walked away with very good feelings,” he said.

County officials are indicating that they welcome Centaur’s development.

“This is an exciting time for Lawrence County, and we want to do all we can to cooperate with Centaur,” Dan Vogler, a county commissioner, told those at the planning meeting.

Commissioners met Tuesday morning, where they considered a comment from Neshannock Township resident Dick Craig that the gaming license for the casino is taking a long time to be issued.

Craig, who lives three miles from where the complex will be built, said it will mean an economic boom with construction jobs and spinoff businesses.

Vogler said the commissioners should write to the state gaming commission. He said that in other areas, there have been controversies when casinos are proposed, but not in Lawrence.

“We’re welcoming it with open arms, and there aren’t too many bumps in the road,” he said. “I would think the gaming commission would want to move it along.”

There are only three legalities left until developers can begin construction, said Kelly — the gaming license; approval from the Mahoning Township supervisors; and word from the state harness racing commission that the track will meet the requirements of their racing license. That license was granted in September.

Centaur hopes those three issues are resolved by this spring, he said.

Allen Miller, a member of Mahoning Township’s planning commission, said the commission will likely make a recommendation on the plan for the supervisors this month.

The supervisors could then vote on whether to accept the site plan at their March meeting, he said.

The complex is expected to mean 1,500 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent full- and part-time jobs.

starmack@vindy.com