There are fourteen potential gaming licences up for grabs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Seven are for racetrack locations, five for stand-alone operations and two for resorts. On Monday the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), established under the new gambling law enacted in July 2004, announced that it had received 25 application submissions for operator licences by the 28 December deadline.

The majority of the applications (17) are for the five available Category 2 stand-alone licences, which include two in Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh. There are 2 applications for the two Category 3 licences and only 6 applications for the seven available Category 1 licences. According to the PGCB, the 25 applications have arrived with over 600 boxes of supporting documentation. The number of associated applicants for each project varies from an amazing senenty-six for a Category 1 licence application by Chester Downs and Marina, LLC for Chester, to just one for a Category 2 licence by Trum Construction Company for Western Pennsylvania.

As was expected, Isle of Capri and associated applicants have gone for the licence in Pittsburgh, as have three other companies. There are five applicants for the two Philadelphia licences, including Pinnacle Entertainment. Some of the named applicants for the 14 available licences include well-known names as Associated Applicants. Harrah’s Entertainment is there in one proposed location for Philadelphia as is Trump Entertainment Resorts in another.

The PGCB Chairman, Tad Decker, stated that he looks forward to “the complex and important work that lies ahead in awarding licenses for Pennsylvania’s 14 gaming facilities.” With 600 boxes of documentation already accumulated, a mammoth task is getting underway. (E-01.12.06)

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