Racino set to open in September

AUSTINTOWN

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course will open in September, but an exact date has yet to be set.

Bob Tenenbaum, spokesman for Penn National, said the announcement was made last week during Penn National’s second-quarter investor conference call.

“I think it’s an indication that the folks at corporate feel that they can tighten up that fall by getting it into a specific month, and that’s the normal process,” he said.

According to Penn National’s second quarter report news release, the company talked about the “significant economic opportunities” in Dayton and Austintown. “We recently held a highly successful job fair and continue to anticipate completing staffing and announcing a September 2014 grand opening date shortly,” it states.

Tenenbaum added, “All of this is pending final regulatory approval.”

The Ohio Lottery Commission granted Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course a temporary license for its video lottery terminals June 11. The racino is going to start with 850 and has room to expand its VLT floor.

Tenenbaum said the final operating license is usually granted a few days before opening. On the installation of the VLTs, he said, workers “have been moving through those pretty steadily. Once they’re installed, they need to be tested.”