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Vienna site eyed for horse racetrack
Valley group says it has options on land off Rte. 11
VIENNA
Developers of a proposed $300 million complex that would include a horse racetrack, resort and possibly a casino say the facility would be built on 600 acres in Vienna Township, near the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.
Rick Lertzman, chairman of the Mahoning Valley Development Group, said the company has options on land adjacent to the state Route 11 exit on King Graves Road.
“We chose the area because [the area] right off of Route 11 serves both Mahoning and Trumbull counties,” Lertzman said. “It’s a great site with great access and utility lines.”
The group has withheld the location of the facility for the past month as it attempted to sign options with property owners for enough land to hold the proposed complex.
The company wanted an option on 65 acres near the airport owned by Grace Fellowship Church of Niles. But the church refused the offer last month.
Even so, Mahoning Valley Development remained interested in property near the airport, Lertzman said.
Lertzman and Bradford Pressman, his business partner, along with Pat Quinn, the company’s attorney, met for about 90 minutes Thursday with officials from the Ohio State Racing Commission to discuss the company’s proposal.
The group must receive permission from the commission to operate a horse racetrack, to be called Mahoning Valley Downs, with parimutuel betting.
The group plans to submit an application to the commission in the next weeks.
The application would include information listing everyone who would have at least 5 percent financial interest in the company.
Lertzman and Pressman have said they have investors, including three major companies, lined up to fund the project, but have declined to disclose the names.
The proposal, they said, would include a thoroughbred racetrack, resort, golf course, a 400-bed hotel with a 2,000-seat arena on the first floor, an indoor water park and possibly slot machines.
The group plans to move ahead with the project even if the state doesn’t legalize slots at racetracks, Lertzman said.
Meanwhile, Penn National Gaming Inc. is interested in relocating Raceway Park, its harness track in Toledo, to the Centerpointe business park in Austintown if slot machines are legalized at the state’s racetracks.
Efforts in the state Legislature to legalize slots at the tracks have gained some momentum.
Neither company says the Mahoning Valley can support two racetracks.