Thursday, September 18, 2014
SEE ALSO: Valley officials, Penn National extend thanks
By ROBERT CONNELLY
and KALEA HALL
news@vindy.com
AUSTINTOWN
Gallery
Video Set
It really is all about the money.
Penn National Gaming looks to its recently opened Dayton facility when discussing what’s to come at the new Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
Dayton, which opened Aug. 28 and features a harness racetrack, experienced very high numbers in its first month’s earnings — $466 per video-lottery terminal per day. But Penn National officials are quick to point out that was only a four-day time span, and included Labor Day. Responsible gaming programs and horsemen also get percentages of that dollar amount.
Tim Wilmott, Penn National president and chief executive, attended Wednesday’s grand opening of Hollywood Gaming and explained that all new gaming facilities experience swings of revenue, both positive and negative, during the first few years of operation.
“It takes about three to four years for a property to fully mature and fully stabilize,” he said. “So I believe we are going to show growth here for the first three or four years, and then you’ll see business start to level off. I hope to see that we’re able to add more [video-lottery terminal] machines as business warrants, and then take a look at what other opportunities there are to add to the revenues.”
As the ribbon fell to the floor to applause, Valley residents formed lines to experience the grand opening. The lines were long enough that Hollywood Gaming officials decided to open at 11:30 a.m., 30 minutes early. The same thing occurred at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway’s grand opening — yet another comparison between the two facilities.
Connie Miller, Ohio Lottery Commission director of operations, announced that Monday’s VIP event took in $108,972. Of that amount, Penn National’s commission was $72,466 — meaning the state took $36,505.76.
Those numbers are “similar to, or slightly more than what Dayton did,” Miller said.
Before the ribbon-cutting, Mike Galle, general manager of Hollywood Gaming, presented $45,000 in donations to the three charities to receive funding from Monday’s festivities — Down Syndrome Association of the Valley, Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley, and the Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley. Each group received $15,000.
BIG OPENING
Once the doors flew open, music played, jingles from machines began and the flow of people never seemed to stop. Jack Nicholson and Gene Simmons look-alikes were back again to greet patrons as they did during Monday’s VIP ceremony.
Lottery officials can monitor how machines take at least one bet during a two-minute period. At 11:42 a.m. Wednesday, it was 428 video lottery terminals. A few minutes later, 726 VLTs were in play of the 850 on the 25,000-square-foot gaming floor.
As of 3 p.m., the racino had $30,000 in jackpot winnings and had one moment when 849 of the 850 VLTs were in use — while the last machine was tied up with a jackpot, racino spokeswoman Madeline Caldwell said. She added that the facility consistently had 90 percent of its VLTs in use.
“It’s exciting,” said Marilyn Workman as she played a penny machine. “It’s beautiful in here.”
Stephanie Enasko and Marilyn Workman waited a long time to be the first in line at the opening — and they were. “We were up at 6 a.m.,” Workman said.
Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Mahoning Valley boxing champion and film director, came to celebrate the opening of a new attraction. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “I am so pleased for the community and for the area.”
Austintown resident Lynn Parker had attended Monday’s VIP night and was back for the ceremonies and grand opening.
“Monday was a riot. We had a good time. It was really clean, and they took care of us,” Parker said.
Asked if he won Monday night, Parker laughed and said, “I donated to charity.”
Hollywood Gaming will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
OFFICIAL REACTION
“Today we open our fourth Hollywood facility in Ohio, and the second in just three weeks,” said Wilmott. “We’re deeply committed to the state, and to this region and this fact is reflected in the success of our Toledo, Columbus and Dayton facilities. In addition to bringing top-notch entertainment just a 10-minute drive from downtown Youngstown, we’re proud to be creating jobs and tax revenues and contributing to the ongoing economic resurgence of the Mahoning Valley.”
Wilmott talked about the process it took to get to the opening of Hollywood Gaming, from the “racinos” bill Gov. John Kasich signed in summer 2012. It allowed video-lottery terminals at horse-racing sites.
“We knew this [location] was an opportunity for us,” Wilmott said. “The reason it’s here today ... is because of the support of the local community.”
Of the construction project, Wilmott said it came in “on budget, on schedule, and right on target.”
A numbers sheet from Turner Construction, based in Cleveland, showed 1,530 employees worked on the project; 77,342 linear feet of underground piping was placed (sanitary, storm, water and gas); and 362 miles of wire were used.
Mahoning County Commissioner David Ditzler also spoke about the heavy efforts by local government to make this happen.
“Wow. How about this?” he said. “What started as an exciting vision became a
reality.”
A 1-mile thoroughbred racetrack will open with 1,000 grandstand seats Nov. 24. Simulcast racing started Wednesday.
Marketing Director Scott Frost said the racino hoped for 5,000 people on opening day. The racino saw a crowd of 2,000 at its VIP event on Monday.
Expected to attract 1 million patrons annually, the property employs more than 400, with more than 90 percent of the facility’s workforce coming from the Valley region. Hollywood Gaming expects to continue the hiring process until live thoroughbred racing debuts.
Players can try machine denominations from penny to $100, with the top jackpot award reaching more than $160,000.
SIMULCAST BETTING
There were about a dozen people gearing up for simulcast betting on races across the states, including Cleveland-based Thistledown Racino. The betting stations in the upstairs were empty except for those seeking sheets and wagering on the racing across the country. These were displayed across the multiple screens in front of 30 cubicles for bettors to lay out their racing forms.
Robert Kanotz, 75, of Youngstown, was one of the patrons in the simulcast area. “It’s nice. I’m surprised there aren’t many seats for the horse racing,” he said.
Kanotz said he had been frequenting Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack, and Resort, in West Chester, W.Va., and the Cleveland-area based Hard Rock Racino Northfield Park and Thistledown.
“I’m done there. Why waste the gas?” Kanotz said of traveling to the three racinos he had been frequenting before.
Sam Corona, 90, of Austintown, already had his book and a wager set up on a desk he chose in the simulcast auditorium, on the second floor of Hollywood Gaming.
“It’s small compared to some of the other ones. But at New Castle [Pa.], it’s wide open,” he said — because it’s not always a full house at the off-track betting site. “I’ll be happy here. ... Don’t have to worry about the roads or snowstorms” in the winter.
Chris Kern, general manager of Mountaineer, in an email, highlighted amenities that it offers that won’t be at Hollywood Gaming. “Visitors to Mountaineer can enjoy the wide selection of 2,100 slot machines on the gaming floor, compared to 850 VLTs that have been announced for the Austintown facility. Mountaineer Casino is truly a resort destination for the tri-state area and beyond,” he wrote.
A statement from Horseshoe Casino Cleveland and Thistledown Racino on the impact of Hollywood Gaming opening said: “The gaming market in Ohio has grown quickly since the opening of Ohio’s first casino, Horseshoe Cleveland, in May 2012. We believe this burgeoning market still has room to grow and mature in the coming years.”