Valley View Downs, the proposed racino for Pennsylvania's Lawrence County, has been talked about for years now, yet has not taken steps forward due to financing issues. Now, State Senator John Wozniak has a different idea in mind -- one without harness racing's involvement
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According to an article by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wozniak has introduced a bill which would see a gaming facility built where there would be no horse racing involved. Wozniak's bill would see a stand-alone casino with slots and table games erected. The facility would also not be bound to the location of Lawrence County, but anywhere in the state of Pennsylvania.
Since acquiring a racing license for Valley View Downs three years ago, Centaur Gaming has not been able to get the $425 million project off the ground. Centaur filed for voluntary bankruptcy in March.
"Centaur hasn't been able to pull the trigger, and they won't be able to, as far as I can see," the Post-Gazette quoted Wozniak as saying last week. "They've already gotten a two-year extension from the harness commission, which is up in September. There's no legitimate reason to give them more time. They can't raise the money."
(With files from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)