TURTLE CREEK TOWNSHIP, OH—Miami Valley Gaming & Racing, a joint venture of Delaware North Cos. Gaming & Entertainment and Louisville, KY-Churchill Downs Inc., is one step closer to building a $215 million new gaming and racing facility here on 120 acres at the northeast corner of Ohio 63 and Union Road.
The company recently purchased the harness racing licenses and assets held by the Lebanon Trotting Club Inc. and Miami Valley Trotting Inc. Currently, racing is held at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Ohio, but this operation will be moved by the Miami Valley venture.
The JV said in a recent statement that the purchases, as well as recent state and local approvals, will allow the start of construction on the new racing facility to be located in this area just off of Interstate 75, between Cincinnati and Dayton. The new facility is expected to open in early 2014.
The new facility will include a 5/8-mile harness racing track and a 186,000-sq.-ft. gaming facility, featuring up to 2,500 video lottery terminals. The Warren County Board of Commissioners approved the planned use development for the new facility in October.
“We are pleased to be moving forward with this significant economic development project that is expected to add $24 million a year to the local economy and create 1,000 construction jobs and 700 permanent jobs in southwestern Ohio,” said William Bissett, president of Delaware North, in a statement.