Supplier News
US – Penn wins Massachusetts slot licence
By Phil - 4 March 2014
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has granted the state’s only slot hall licence to Penn National Gaming for its proposed development at the Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville.
Penn’s Plainville project beat off competition from the Massachusetts Live! project in Leominster.
It will include 1,250 slot machines as well as a sports bar, restaurant, and a food court. Harness racing will continue operating at the track but will be rebranded as Plainridge Park Casino. Around 106,000 sq. ft. of food, entertainment, gaming and retail amenities being added to the property.
Penn National Gaming CEO, Jay Snowden, said the racino could open as soon as spring 2015, but that a temporary slot hall will open at the track within the next six months. “We need to sit down with the Gaming Commission to understand if they would like us to pursue a temporary casino option. In that case, the timeline would likely be six months because you could put slot machines in the existing grand stand area of the racetrack,” he advised. “We always felt very confident that our proposal brought the most value to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts largely because not just our experience and the location and all of the support locally via the town referendum but also because of the horse racing component.”
