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What you need to know

• MGC awarded the sole statewide slots-parlor (Category 2) license to Penn National Gaming on February 28, , after a competitive bidding process.
• The slots-parlor holds up to 1, slot machines, has a $25 million license fee, and a minimum capital investment of $ million. The slots-parlor is taxed at 49% of its gross gaming revenue.
• Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville opened to the public on June 24,

About the gaming establishment

Description from the Licensee:

Plainridge Park Casino is a $ million dollar integrated racing and gaming facility that includes the only live harness racing track in Massachusetts. The establishment features a food court. In addition, local football legend Doug Flutie’s first restaurant, Flutie’s Sports Pub, is located at Plainridge Park Casino. The gaming area features 1, of the latest slot machines, video poker, video blackjack, and more. An entertainment lounge bar features local and regional bands. Seasonal entertainment is featured, including food and wine festivals, simulated game shows, and more. 1, structured and surface parking spaces welcome visitors to the facility.

To learn more about Plainridge Park Casino, visit its website.

The development

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Frequently asked questions

PLAINVILLE (CBS) — Plainridge Park Casino opened in as the state’s first slots parlor. Now there’s a renewed push to make the Plainville gaming facility even bigger.

A hearing was held Tuesday on bills that would authorize the state’s Gaming Commission to add up to 30 table games and slot machines.

Massachusetts voters in voted to allow the state to grant three casino licenses and one slot parlor. The state has brought in more than $ million in tax revenue from Plainridge, Encore Boston Harbor in Everett and MGM Springfield.

The State House News Service reports that advocates of expanding Plainridge cite competition from Rhode Island casinos.

“Last session, we were concerned about the opening of the casino in Tiverton, Rhode Island, which happened two years ago. In this session, we also know that Rhode Island is planning a major expansion at Twin River. And that will put Plainridge and my communities at a further competitive disadvantage,” Rep. Jeff Roy of Franklin said. “We’re here to push for a modest expansion of Plainridge so that the commonwealth can best compete with our neighbors to the south, and we can protect the jobs, our local businesses, and the tax revenues that have been generated from Plainridge Park.”

A spokesman for Penn National Gaming, which owns Plainridge, said adding 30 new table games would create about new jobs at the casino.

Plainridge Park Casino is a harness racing track and slot machine parlor in Plainville, Massachusetts. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn National Gaming.

History[edit]

Background and license (s)[edit]

InMassachusetts's only harness racing track,^[2]Foxboro Park, was closed after a legal dispute between its owner, Robert Kraft, and its operator, Charles Sarkis.^[3] Two competing plans to Cash Splash Slots Machine the sport were soon brought before the Massachusetts Racing Commission, with Kraft seeking to reopen Foxboro under a new operator, while Gary Piontkowski, who had managed Foxboro under Sarkis, proposed to build a new track at a acre site in Plainville.^[4] Kraft withdrew his application weeks later,^[5] however, leaving Piontkowski as harness racing's only hope in the state.

The Racing Commission issued a conditional license for Piontkowski's proposed track in Die Catfather Slot-Maschine Uberprufenwith a targeted opening date of May ^[6] Piontkowski would purchase the land for $ million, and buy an existing 40,square-foot building to use as the grandstand.^[7] The project would be financed by an $11 million loan from Cornerstone Capital.^[7]

Piontkowski's application ran into trouble Double Stack Slot Machine Review the Commission found that Cornerstone had never actually committed to the loan, and that Piontkowski might have used a loan broker who had since been imprisoned for bank fraud.^[8] The project was nevertheless granted a two-month extension of its financing deadline, raising criticism that commissioners were being too lenient with Piontkowski, who had previously served as the Racing Commission's chairman.^[9] By Aprilplainville casino, the commission approved a new financing plan, with ownership of the track to be shared by nine investors, with Piontkowski holding a 15% share.^[10]

In Maya neighboring landowner filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify the track's building permit,^[11] prompting Piontkowski to suspend construction and push back the track's debut to the next season.^[12] The lawsuit was later settled out of court.^[13]

A new application was filed in October ,^[14] under which the purchase of the land and construction of the track would be financed by real estate developer Lou Giuliano, who would lease the track to Piontkowski's company for $1 million per year.^[15] The Racing Commission approved the license in November.^[16]

Opening ()[edit]

The track opened for simulcast wagering on March 17, ,^[17] and held its first day of live racing a month later on April ^[18]

Plainridge plainville casino criticism from the beginning, with industry observers and Racing Commission chair Robert Hutchinson arguing that the track's live racing schedule was nothing but an excuse to justify a lucrative off-track betting operation and a potential racino; a large room in the grandstand was set aside for the installation of as many as slot machines.^[19]

Around Julya rift grew between Piontkowski and Giuliano over management of the track.^[20] Giuliano then applied for a license to operate the track himself inclaiming that Piontkowski's lease was valid only until December 31, ^[20] The commission found that Giuliano did not actually own the land, but only held an option to buy it from a Boston investment company, Realty Financial Partners (RFP), which had financed the purchase.^[21] Piontkowski's company plainville casino approved to retain the license, subject to the condition that it obtain financing the buy the track from RFP.^[21] After Giuliano failed to exercise his option to buy the track, RFP claimed control and served an eviction notice on Piontkowski.^[22] A deal was soon reached for Piontkowski's group to buy Plainridge from RFP for $ million, to be partially financed by Anchor Gaming.^[23] The sale was completed in May ^[24]

In the wake of their dispute, Piontkowski and Giuliano filed dozens of lawsuits against of each other, Riches of Camelot Slots Machine proceedings lasting through ^[25] Giuliano initiated multiple attempts to develop a nearby competing harness racing track,^[26][27] none of them successful.

Addition of slot machines[edit]

Piontkowski consistently supported proposed legislation to authorize plainville casino machines at the state's four racetracks, touting plans for a $million plainville casino of Plainridge.^[28] Discussions were held with major gaming companies about developing a casino at the track,^[29] but the site was seen as having limited potential due to its proximity to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, who were likely to develop a casino under any expanded gambling regimen.^[30] InPiontkowski was credited with killing a casino bill pushed by Governor Deval Patrick because it had no provision for racinos.^[30]

Inthe state finally enacted casino legislation, authorizing up to three resort-style casinos and one slots-only facility.^[31] The slot parlor provision originated as a compromise between House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a staunch advocate of racinos, and Governor Patrick, who opposed allowing slot machines at racetracks without a competitive bidding process.^[32] Plainridge was the state's first gaming applicant, submitting its $, application fee as soon as the process opened.^[33] Piontkowski stated that the track could not continue live racing without the additional plainville casino of slot machines;^[34] plainville casino of the track's owners said the site could otherwise be redeveloped as a shopping center.^[35]

The track began construction of a 1,car parking garage in latehoping to demonstrate to the Gaming Commission that its proposal would be the quickest to open and begin generating tax revenue.^[36]

In earlystate investigators found that Piontkowski had taken over $1 million in cash from the track's money room over the years; the distributions were recorded on the company books, plainville casino, but had not been approved by the track's majority owners.^[37] As a result, the owners pushed Piontkowski out as president, plainville casino, and bought out his shares.^[38] The track's new president vowed to change the organization's "culture",^[38] but the Gaming Commission called the changes "way too little, way too late", and disqualified Plainridge's application for a gaming license in August ^[39]

New hope for the track emerged weeks later, when Penn National Gaming, fresh off a failure to win approval for its proposed slot parlor in Tewksbury, reached a deal to pursue a gaming license at Plainridge, with an option to buy the track if its bid were successful.^[40] Plainville voters soon approved the slots plan by a margin of 3 to 1 in a town referendum, required as a condition of licensing.^[41]

Penn National was awarded the gaming license in February The bid overcame competition from plainville casino other applicants, a Cordish Company slot parlor proposed Little Pharaoh Slots Machine Leominster, and a former greyhound racing track in Raynham.^[41]

The slot parlor held a soft opening for invited guests on June 22, ,^[42] and opened to the public on June ^[43]

In OctoberPenn National sold Plainridge's real estate assets to Gaming and Leisure Properties for $ million, and leased it back for $25 million per year.^[44]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Coordinates: 42°2′″N71°18′″W / °N °W / ;