PENNSYLVANIA STATE HORSE RACING COMMISSION
UNANIMOUSLY REINSTATES MTR GAMING GROUP’S LICENSE TO
BUILD THOROUGHBRED RACETRACK IN ERIE
CHESTER, WV – July
17, 2003 – MTR Gaming Group, Inc.
(Nasdaq National Market:MNTG) today announced that the Pennsylvania
State Horse Racing Commission unanimously reinstated the license
it granted on November 19, 2002 to MTR’s wholly owned
subsidiary, Presque Isle Downs, Inc., to conduct thoroughbred
horse racing
and parimutuel wagering in Erie, PA.
As previously announced, on June 26, 2003, the Commonwealth
Court of Pennsylvania granted a petition for review filed by
affiliates of Magna Entertainment challenging the grant of
the license on the grounds that they had not been afforded
an evidentiary hearing.
Edson R. (Ted) Arneault, President and CEO of MTR Gaming Group,
commented, “We are certainly pleased that the Racing
Commission reinstated our license unanimously, the same manner
in which it granted the license last year. We continue to be
enthusiastic about developing Presque Isle Downs, and look
forward to moving ahead with the project.”
About MTR Gaming Group
MTR Gaming Group owns and operates the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort in Chester, West Virginia, which currently encompasses
a thoroughbred racetrack with off-track betting and export
simulcasting, 3,200 slot machines, 359 hotel rooms, golf course,
spa & fitness center, theater and events center, convention
center and fine dining and entertainment. The Company also
owns and operates the Ramada Inn and Speedway Casino in North
Las Vegas, and holds a license to build a new thoroughbred
racetrack with parimutuel wagering in Erie, Pennsylvania. MTR
is included on the Russell 2000® and Russell® 3000
Indexes. For more information, please visit www.mtrgaming.com.
About Scioto Downs
Scioto Downs owns and operates a harness horse racing facility
in Columbus, OH. Major racing programs conducted at Scioto’s
facilities include the Little Brown Jug Preview, the Scarlet
O’Hara, the Pink Bonnet, the Ohio Sires Stakes events
and Ohio Fair stakes events.
Except for historical information,
this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning,
among other things,
the acquisition of Scioto Downs, Inc. Such statements are based
on MTR’s current plans and expectations. Such statements
are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could
cause the statements made to be incorrect and/or for actual
results to differ materially. Those risks and uncertainties
are described in the Company’s periodic reports filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and with respect
to the Scioto Downs acquisition are described in the Merger
Agreement, as amended, which is attached as exhibits to the
Company’s reports on Forms 8-K filed December 24, 2002,
March 5, 2003, and May 7, 2003. MTR’s plans to build
a racetrack in Erie, Pennsylvania remain subject to the possibility
of a legal challenge to the July 17, 2003 decision of the Pennsylvania
State Horse Racing Commission reinstating the license (which
was originally granted in late 2002) and the risks associated
with land acquisition,development, construction and integration
of new operations. The Company does not intend to update publicly
any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by
law.
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