Saturday, July 08, 2006

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will hold Licensing Hearings on the
two applications it received for Category 3 gaming licenses in Harrisburg on
Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, Chairman Tad Decker said today. The hearings, which
will be open to the public, will take place in the Auditorium of the State
Museum Building, 3rd and North streets, Decker said. "After the success of
our public-input hearings, the licensing hearings mark the beginning of a
new, key phase of the application-review process, one in which Board members
will take an active role in questioning applicants on issues related to
their suitability for licensure," Decker said.

The Category 3 licensing hearings schedule is:

- 1 p.m. Woodlands Fayette (Farmington)

- 3 p.m. Seven Springs Farm, Inc. (Champion)

Under Act 71 of 2004, the Gaming Control Board is authorized to license 14
slot-machine gaming facilities across Pennsylvania. Seven Category 1
licenses are authorized for horse-race tracks; five Category 2 licenses are
authorized for standalone slots facilities - two in Philadelphia, one in
Pittsburgh and two at tourism-enhanced locations across the state; and two
Category 3 licenses are authorized for existing resorts.

The Gaming Control Board is considering 22 applications for the 14
licenses - six for Category 1 licenses; 14 for Category 2 licenses,
including five in Philadelphia, three in Pittsburgh and six for
tourism-enhanced locations; and two for Category 3 licenses.

The Board expects to act on conditional Category 1 license applications in
September 2006, and on Category 2, Category 3 and permanent Category 1
applications in December 2006.

The Board previously announced that hearings for conditional Category 1
applicants will take place in Harrisburg on Aug. 7-9.