COLUMBUS, Ohio - By this summer, Ohio should have a new gambling establishment because MTR Gaming Group can now operate 2,500 video slot machines at the Scioto Downs racetrack in Columbus.
MTR is the parent company of Chester-based Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort. The firm must pay a $10 million license fee to operate the machines at the Columbus track, which now offers live harness racing and simulcast wagering. The company hopes to have its slots plugged in and ready to go by the end of June.
"We are very excited to be granted our Ohio license and have already started construction on a first-class facility that will drive significant long-term stockholder value for the company and over 800 new jobs for Columbus," said Jeffrey J. Dahl, president and chief executive officer of MTR.
Construction of the gambling parlor at Scioto started in December. The facility will open with 2,125 machines, but it is permitted to increase that number to as many as 2,500.
Additionally, there will be a 300-seat buffet at the facility, a 100-seat casual dining restaurant and an 82-seat bar/lounge with high-tech sound and lights. There will also be what company officials term a "variety" of entertainment options at the Columbus track.
"We would like to thank the Ohio Lottery Commission for their professionalism and diligence, and look forward to working hand-in-hand with the Lottery and Racing Commissions and the people of Columbus as we prepare for the grand opening of the new facility. It will be something of which Columbus can be very proud," added Dahl.
"This is a very exciting time for the MTR team at the new Scioto Downs Racetrack & Casino," said Joseph Billhimer, executive vice president and chief operating officer for MTR. "We look forward to enhancing the racing experience and to providing a unique gaming and entertainment option for the greater Columbus area."
Faced with increased competition from slots and table games offered at The Rivers Casino in downtown Pittsburgh and The Meadows Racetrack & Casino just north of Washington, Pa., MTR has steadily shifted its focus away from its original Chester operation in recent years. MTR also operates Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, Pa.
At Mountaineer, West Virginia Lottery Commission records show the Hancock County track pulled in $30 million from table gambling in fiscal 2011, down from $44.5 million in fiscal 2010. The facility collected $160.24 million from video slots during the same time period, a decline from $173.45 million in fiscal 2010 - and nearly $100 million off the record pace of $259 million set in fiscal 2004.