PRESS RELEASE

HARRISBURG: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (“Board”) today unanimously voted to renew the Category 1 horse track casino license of PID, LLC, operator of Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie County. 

In making the decision, the Board determined that PID, LLC had fulfilled the obligations under its previously approved casino operator’s license and therefore qualified to have its license renewed for an additional five-year period. 

The decision to renew the license was based on a process utilized by the Board that enables both the operator and the public to provide information relevant to the renewal decision. A public input hearing was held in September 2024 in the casino’s host municipality, Summit Township, where personnel of Presque Isle Downs and Casino submitted exhibits and presented testimony on various aspects of the facility’s operation since its last license renewal was granted.  The public was also permitted to provide testimony about the casino and its impact on the community. 

In reaching its decision, the Board also received information from state and local government officials, community groups and the PA State Police, along with the Gaming Control Board’s Office of Enforcement Counsel, Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement, Office of Compulsive and Problem Gaming, and Bureau of Casino Compliance.   

Additionally, a public hearing was held in Harrisburg in May of this year and continued today to permit Board members to further question representatives from both Presque Isle Downs and Casino, and parent company Churchill Downs about any remaining issues prior to voting on the renewal.  A vote on the license renewal was tabled by the Board in May as it sought additional information on the financial health of the casino after public comments from its General Manager indicated the casino could close in the near future due to financial issues.

Board Chair Denise Smyler, in statements made at the meeting, wants to assure everyone that its approval of the casino license renewal of Presque Isle Downs was made after a very thorough investigation of its financial status resulting in a belief that the facility will continue to operate in the years ahead.

“The Board has taken a very close look at this license renewal, and we would first like to thank the efforts of Board staff – particularly, the Financial Investigations Unit, within the Bureau of Investigations, and the Office of Enforcement Counsel – for providing us with the tools and information which allowed us to perform a detailed analysis,” said Chairperson Smyler.

“We realize that conducting such a thorough and detailed review, which we were obligated to do - may have been a little disconcerting to the people of Erie, particularly the good people that work at Presque Isle Downs, Presque Isle suppliers and its patrons.  What I would like to say to those people is that the Board is renewing this license for 5 years, and while there will be conditions on Presque Isle Downs requiring ongoing monitoring by the Board, we are confident that Presque Isle Downs, with the financial support of Churchill Downs behind it, will continue to be open and, with ongoing modifications, we are hopeful will once again thrive.  Certainly, the Board is going to take whatever steps it can to help make that happen.”

Since its opening in February 2007, Presque Isle Downs and Casino has generated $2.52 billion in gross revenue from the play of retail slot machines and table games, sports wagering and iGaming, and has returned to the Commonwealth a total of $1.52 billion in tax revenue, assessments and fees. Presque Isle Downs and Casino currently operates 1,525 slot machines and 31 table games while employing 482 persons. 

A PowerPoint presentation provided at the May meeting which includes more details on Presque Isle Downs and Casino is available on the Board’s website, www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. It can be found under the Board Meetings tab and calendar date May 21, 2025.