PGCB approves sports betting at Mount Airy
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved a Category 4 License that will allow Hollywood Casino Morgantown to feature a sportsbook.
US.- The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) voted unanimously on Wednesday to award a license to Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association, LLC (Penn National) to build a Category 4 casino in Caernarvon Township, Berks County. The license from PGCB approves several casino features and allows the operator to offer sports betting at the facility.
The award concludes a process the PGCB began on April 4, 2018 when Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association secured a 15-mile radius area in which it could locate a casino with a winning bid of US$7.5 million at the fifth Category 4 auction held by the board. They filed an application with the board on October 31, 2018 to locate the facility just off the Morgantown exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Subsequently, the board conducted an in-depth background investigation of the application along with the collection of public input from citizens, community groups and public officials at a hearing held in Caernarvon Township on March 4 of this year. Prior to yesterday’s vote, the PGCB held a final licensing hearing in which representatives of Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing were questioned by Board members about the project.
A Category 4 Slot Machine Licence allows the entity to operate between 300 and 750 slot machines. The entity could also petition for permission to initially operate up to 30 table games for an additional fee of US$2.5 million with the capability of adding an additional 10 tables games after its first year of operation.
The facility will offer 89,000 square foot of space, with 750 slot machines, 30 table games with an anticipated expansion to 40 tables, a sports book and dining and entertainment facilities. It is expected to be open by late 2020.
