Press Release
| Penn National Gaming Enters into Definitive Agreement to Divest Joint Venture Interest in Maryland Jockey Club |
WYOMISSING, Pa. & BALTIMORE & LAUREL, Md., Jun 16, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its joint venture interest in the Maryland Jockey Club to Stron-MJC Limited Partnership. As announced by MI Developments Inc., Penn National's joint venture partner, an affiliate of MI Developments Inc. will also transfer its interest in the Maryland Jockey Club to an affiliate of Stron-MJC Limited Partnership as part of a transaction approved by the shareholders of MI Developments Inc. that is scheduled to close on June 30, 2011. Penn National Gaming and MI Developments established the joint venture to own and operate the Maryland Jockey Club's racing assets, training facilities and real estate in mid 2010. Peter M. Carlino, Chief Executive Officer of Penn National commented, "While we are divesting our interest in the Maryland Jockey Club, Penn National Gaming remains committed to racing and gaming in Maryland. With our acquisition earlier this year of Rosecroft Raceway in Oxon Hill and our successful opening last fall of the state's first VLT facility, we will focus our resources on further strengthening the racing and operations at Rosecroft and building on the initial success of Hollywood Casino Perryville. We believe that the Maryland Jockey Club, Pimlico and Laurel Park will be well served under the single ownership of The Stronach Group and we wish them success with these historic racing venues." The transaction is expected to be completed in the next few months and is subject to approvals from the Maryland Racing Commission and the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions. About Penn National Gaming Penn National Gaming owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. The Company presently operates twenty-six facilities in eighteen jurisdictions, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. In aggregate, Penn National's operated facilities feature approximately 29,000 gaming machines, 560 table games, 2,400 hotel rooms and 1.1 million square feet of gaming floor space. Through a joint venture, Penn National is developing a full casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, which is anticipated to open in the first quarter of 2012, and is also developing casinos in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio, with openings targeted for 2012. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may vary materially from expectations. Penn describes certain of these risks and uncertainties in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. Meaningful factors that could cause actual results to differ from expectations include, but are not limited to, risks related to the following: our ability to receive, or delays in obtaining, the regulatory approvals required to own, develop and/or operate our facilities, or other delays or impediments to completing our planned acquisitions or projects, including favorable resolution of any related litigation and/or enforcement of contingent settlement agreements; our ability to secure state and local permits and approvals necessary for construction; construction factors, including delays, unexpected remediation costs, local opposition and increased cost of labor and materials; the passage of state, federal or local legislation (including referenda) that would expand, restrict, further tax, prevent or negatively impact operations in or adjacent to the jurisdictions in which we do business (such as a smoking ban at any of our facilities) or in jurisdictions where we seek to do business; the effects of local and national economic, credit, capital market, housing, and energy conditions on the economy in general and on the gaming and lodging industries in particular; the activities of our competitors and the emergence of new competitors; our ability to identify attractive acquisition and development opportunities and to agree to terms with partners for such transactions; the costs and risks involved in the pursuit of such opportunities and our ability to complete the acquisition or development of, and achieve the expected returns from such opportunities; our expectations for the continued availability and cost of capital; the maintenance of agreements with our horsemen, pari-mutuel clerks and other organized labor groups; the outcome of pending legal proceedings; changes in accounting standards; our dependence on key personnel; the impact of terrorism and other international hostilities; the impact of weather; and other factors as discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC. The Company does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statements except as required by law. SOURCE: Penn National Gaming, Inc. Penn National Gaming, Inc. |