UPDATE | Officials, Barry Dyngles owner OK drawing, concert

AUSTINTOWN — Township officials and Shawn Hannon, owner of Barry Dyngles, agreed to continue Queen of Hearts this afternoon.

The pub at 1601 S. Raccoon Road announced last night that the band Red Wanting Blue will perform a free concert Sunday night before the next Queen of Hearts drawing at the pub.

The drawing is at 7:30 p.m.

Austintown trustees had unanimously approved the game continuing under rules agreed upon by the pub and township on Monday.

One of those changes was that the owner of the ticket drawn need not be present to win 100 percent of the jackpot. That change led to smaller crowds at the last drawing Sunday night, when the elusive queen of hearts was not picked for a more than $1.2 million jackpot.

Less off-duty officers were hired at the last drawing because of a smaller crowd.

Trustee Jim Davis said after this afternoon's meeting that officials are "formulating off of the game plan we had last week."

While township officials were surprised by the concert announcement, Davis said Hannon had told them last week that he was attempting to have a concert in the coming weeks.

The surprise, Davis said, was that it was this week.

Today, dozens of people lined up at the pub during lunch seeking to buy tickets for their chance to find the queen of hearts.