Thursday, December 19, 2013
COLUMBUS — Penn National Gaming and a group representing racehorse owners and trainers have reached an informal agreement to increase the number of stalls at a new Austintown racino, potentially paving the way for state racing officials to OK the company's racing permits for the new year.
"Progress is being made," Ohio Racing Commission Chairman Robert Schmitz said during the panel's regular business meeting near the Statehouse today, where representatives from Penn and the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association updated members on the negotiations.
Penn initially planned to construct 10 barns, each containing 76 stalls, at its Austintown racino, but commission members said that wasn't enough to accommodate horses at the site. The new facility, they said, should have closer to 1,000 stalls, comparable to what other tracks in the state have in place.
Schmitz had warned last month the commission would not act on Penn's permit applications for 2014 racing dates if more stalls were not added to the Austintown plans. Without the permit, the company could not offer video lottery terminals at the facility.
For the complete story, read Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com