Mahoning County urges outdoor concerts at racino

YOUNGSTOWN — An assistant Mahoning County prosecutor is asking a judge to uphold an Austintown Zoning Board of Appeals decision that would allow outdoor summer evening concerts to occur at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course.

“The BZA’s actions were neither arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion,” wrote Donald A. Duda, assistant prosecutor, in a brief he filed Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Duda was responding to a lawsuit filed against the board last year by Ashley Facility Realty LLC, which operates Briarfield at Ashley Circle, a facility offering nursing home and skilled rehabilitation services at 5291 Ashley Circle, which is adjacent to the racino.

When he filed the lawsuit last August on behalf of Ashley, Atty. Peter B. Grinstein said Ashley has no objection to indoor concerts, but that outdoor concert noise would disrupt the nursing-home environment.

For the complete story, read Tuesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com