New Castle off track betting site set to close Nov. 30

Staff report

NEW CASTLE, Pa.

The Meadows Racetrack & Casino is closing its off-track betting site in the city Nov. 30.

The Meadows, based in Washington, Pa., south of Pittsburgh, is a harness racetrack that had five OTBs as of 2005, but now has only one.

A facility in Moon Township, Pa., was closed two years ago. Now there is only one OTB of The Meadows remaining in Harmar, Pa.

The New Castle OTB opened in 1990.

In a statement from the casino, Kevin Decker, director of racing for The Meadows, said: “We have all witnessed how the region is currently suffering from a saturation of horse racing, gaming and other entertainment venues.”

The statement refers to the opening of a new racino in Ohio that accelerated declining business. That new facility is Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown.

According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s 2013 Racetrack Casino Benchmark Report, there was an approximate 20 percent decline in the Keystone State’s off-track betting from 2012 to 2013.