Bernie Hornick
bhornick@tribdem.com
JOHNSTOWN —
A decision on whether Johnstown moves closer to securing a horse racing/casino license has been put off for a week.
The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission on Thursday postponed a hearing on a racetrack/casino license for the New Castle area until a special meeting at 10 a.m. on Sept. 3.
Centaur, which is in bankruptcy, was given two years to open Valley View Downs, then received a one-year extension that will expire in about 10 days.
Its financing fell through in 2008.
Centaur now wants a further two-year extension.
If the commission decides not to grant Centaur Inc. another extension, the license could be opened to other competitors, including a developer who wants to open in Johnstown.
Daryl Price heads the company that wants to bring a $200 million combination harness racing track/casino to Greater Johnstown.
With the assistance of outside financing, his company also wants to construct a water park, convention center, equine medical facility and wedding complex. All this might bump up total costs another $100 million.
“Why would the state want to do business with someone in bankruptcy?” Price told The Tribune-Democrat on Thursday.
Price said he had a representative at the meeting.
“I think we have a great concept project, great support, and an idea to make it successful for a small market,” he said.
Price was not prepared to say where the racino would be located.
About 1,500 permanent jobs would be expected, along with 1,200 during construction.
Price is chief operating officer of American Harness Tracks Inc. and has partnered with local real estate developers John Biros and Bob Biros, the company's CEO and board chairman.
If the commission decides against extending Indianapolis, Ind.-based Centaur's deadline, it could open up the harness racing and casino license to widespread competition.
“This is in bankruptcy court as well, so it’s a much more complex and sophisticated problem,” a commission official, who declined to be identified, said from Harrisburg.
“With next Friday’s meeting will come some indication as to the direction of that project.”
The official said the commission needs to investigate its rights and authority while facing a bankruptcy situation.
State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, has prodded casino license holders to open facilities or forfeit the licenses to other developers.
“It’s about fulfilling the promise made to taxpayers when we legalized gaming,” Wozniak said in a release earlier this month.
“Centaur had its chance,” Wozniak said. “It can’t complete the project.”
