Evergrey
Mar 1, 2007, 6:36 AM
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07060/765921-336.stm
Thousands line up for slots' first day in Erie
Thursday, March 01, 2007
By Gary Rotstein, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ERIE -- Thousands of winners and losers filled Presque Isle Downs & Casino at its opening yesterday, sitting elbow to elbow at rows of beeping, spinning, flashing machines that quickly began making money for the racetrack/casino and state.
Judging from the hundreds of bundled-up people who lined up in 30-degree weather nearly two hours before the 9 a.m. opening, residents of northwestern Pennsylvania and beyond were starved for a new gambling venue. Minibus shuttles kept depositing a dozen or more players at a time at the front doors, after picking them up from parking lots hundreds of yards away. Plenty of the parked cars bore license plates from Ohio and New York, in addition to the Keystone State.
"I think we're a success," a smiling employee counting front-door arrivals said less than five hours after opening, as his clicker read 3,582. Thousands more came through a side door, creating long lines by midday for slots club applications and the $9.95 lunch buffet. Nearly every lower-denomination slot machine appeared occupied.
"I was just curious to see what this looked like. ... Next time I'll bring my wife," said Charlie Cervone, 56, of Meadville, slipping money into a dollar machine since the quarter slots nearby were all filled. He said he placed a $100 limit on any losses for the day, a view shared by a number of his counterparts, though not by bigger risk-takers.
Many of the players were veterans of the Erie racetrack/casino's two closest competitors, the Seneca Allegany tribal casino in Salamanca, N.Y., and Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort in Chester, W.Va. The new slots parlor, just off Interstate 90 south of Erie, lacks either the table games of the Seneca facility or the hotel and resort activities of Mountaineer, but still expects to gross more than $150 million annually from 2,000 machines. It keeps 45 percent of that revenue to cover costs and profits, while the rest is for reduced property taxes and other state-designated purposes.
Presque Isle Downs' convenience for local gamblers will help compensate for its lack of other offerings, and it will have the added benefit of drawing upon the several million summer tourists who visit Lake Erie, said MTR Gaming Group Inc. President Edson "Ted" Arneault, whose company owns both the new facility and Mountaineer.
Just before throngs of smiling women and more poker-faced husbands behind them streamed through the doors at opening, Mr. Arneault urged at a ribbon-cutting: "The whole point is to have a good time, leave, and come back."
Presque Isle Downs is the fourth of six racetracks in the state to open its slots parlor, though it won't have live thoroughbred racing until around Sept. 1. It is the first casino location in Western Pennsylvania. The Meadows in Washington County plans to open a temporary parlor in May, and a stand-alone casino, the Majestic Star, will open on the North Side in 2008.
The three slots operations that opened in recent months at tracks in eastern Pennsylvania have all met or surpassed revenue expectations. Revenue from the first day at Presque Isle Downs won't be announced until today.
To be successful, the operation depends on players losing money. It had plenty of those, although sporadic loudspeaker announcements "congratulating" a thousand-dollar winner rose above the machines' ringing cacophony and competing Top 40 hits of yesteryear. Generally, about 90 cents of every dollar wagered goes back to players and 10 cents becomes revenue for the casino and state.
Edna Horodyski, 59, of Conneaut Lake, was one of those whose wallet was lightening within an hour of getting her slots card, which patrons use to ring up prize points for meals or other complimentary gifts while they play.
"I haven't hit anything -- it's not going to be my day," Ms. Horodyski said as she walked away from a video poker machine that took her $20 with rude speed.
As a longtime gambling fan, however, she was happy to have another option, and just 40 minutes from home. She and her husband ran into a dozen other people they knew in the line outside, before opening.
"It's exciting. It's been a long time coming," she said. "I've raised my family and done my job, and I'd like to have a little bit of fun now ... controllable fun."
Brochures placed at cashier windows and slots club counters provided information on assistance with compulsive gambling, and ATMs advised anyone with problems to call the 1-800-GAMBLER help line. Those all seemed ignored on opening day. One tall man from Butler unremorsefully called himself "an addict for the slots," and happy to be present.
Richard Knight, chief executive officer of Presque Isle Downs, said those of the facility's 650 employees who deal directly with customers also received training on how to approach individuals who seem to have special gambling problems.
"We're not trying to create a bunch of psychologists," he said. "If you ask if you can help them, most people will let you know if they're having a problem."
Unlike tourism-based casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere, Presque Isle Downs does not give free alcohol to anyone who asks. It also closes from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m., although it's permitted to be open 24 hours.
"If we have demand, we'll do it in a minute," Mr. Knight said of expanding hours.
Erie County officials are expecting to receive about $11 million in annual revenue, which they have not yet determined how to spend. Some may be dedicated to infrastructure improvements and regional assets like the zoo and libraries, said County Executive Mark DiVecchio, and other funds may be held back to see what kind of social ills arise and need to be addressed, if any.
"We're small enough as a county that when we see problems, you can see the spikes, and we'll be ready to tackle them right away," Mr. DiVecchio said.
On the whole, though, he and other local officials have looked forward to the racetrack/casino as an economic boost for the region, just as the region's citizens have seen it as a new diversion.
Most patrons were middle-aged or above, some with canes, walkers or wheelchairs. That was no hindrance to younger fans, though, like Erie resident Trista DeSanti, in her 30s.
"I wasn't paying attention to who's here. I don't care who's here. I'm just here for the machines," she said, smiling after a $67 profit on the day.
For Joseph Naso, 55, one of many arrivals who said they were from the Cleveland area, which is closer to Erie than is Pittsburgh, "It's something to do in the wintertime. In summer, I'm on the golf course."
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(Gary Rotstein can be reached at grotstein@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1255. )
Thousands line up for slots' first day in Erie
Thursday, March 01, 2007
By Gary Rotstein, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
ERIE -- Thousands of winners and losers filled Presque Isle Downs & Casino at its opening yesterday, sitting elbow to elbow at rows of beeping, spinning, flashing machines that quickly began making money for the racetrack/casino and state.
Judging from the hundreds of bundled-up people who lined up in 30-degree weather nearly two hours before the 9 a.m. opening, residents of northwestern Pennsylvania and beyond were starved for a new gambling venue. Minibus shuttles kept depositing a dozen or more players at a time at the front doors, after picking them up from parking lots hundreds of yards away. Plenty of the parked cars bore license plates from Ohio and New York, in addition to the Keystone State.
"I think we're a success," a smiling employee counting front-door arrivals said less than five hours after opening, as his clicker read 3,582. Thousands more came through a side door, creating long lines by midday for slots club applications and the $9.95 lunch buffet. Nearly every lower-denomination slot machine appeared occupied.
"I was just curious to see what this looked like. ... Next time I'll bring my wife," said Charlie Cervone, 56, of Meadville, slipping money into a dollar machine since the quarter slots nearby were all filled. He said he placed a $100 limit on any losses for the day, a view shared by a number of his counterparts, though not by bigger risk-takers.
Many of the players were veterans of the Erie racetrack/casino's two closest competitors, the Seneca Allegany tribal casino in Salamanca, N.Y., and Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort in Chester, W.Va. The new slots parlor, just off Interstate 90 south of Erie, lacks either the table games of the Seneca facility or the hotel and resort activities of Mountaineer, but still expects to gross more than $150 million annually from 2,000 machines. It keeps 45 percent of that revenue to cover costs and profits, while the rest is for reduced property taxes and other state-designated purposes.
Presque Isle Downs' convenience for local gamblers will help compensate for its lack of other offerings, and it will have the added benefit of drawing upon the several million summer tourists who visit Lake Erie, said MTR Gaming Group Inc. President Edson "Ted" Arneault, whose company owns both the new facility and Mountaineer.
Just before throngs of smiling women and more poker-faced husbands behind them streamed through the doors at opening, Mr. Arneault urged at a ribbon-cutting: "The whole point is to have a good time, leave, and come back."
Presque Isle Downs is the fourth of six racetracks in the state to open its slots parlor, though it won't have live thoroughbred racing until around Sept. 1. It is the first casino location in Western Pennsylvania. The Meadows in Washington County plans to open a temporary parlor in May, and a stand-alone casino, the Majestic Star, will open on the North Side in 2008.
The three slots operations that opened in recent months at tracks in eastern Pennsylvania have all met or surpassed revenue expectations. Revenue from the first day at Presque Isle Downs won't be announced until today.
To be successful, the operation depends on players losing money. It had plenty of those, although sporadic loudspeaker announcements "congratulating" a thousand-dollar winner rose above the machines' ringing cacophony and competing Top 40 hits of yesteryear. Generally, about 90 cents of every dollar wagered goes back to players and 10 cents becomes revenue for the casino and state.
Edna Horodyski, 59, of Conneaut Lake, was one of those whose wallet was lightening within an hour of getting her slots card, which patrons use to ring up prize points for meals or other complimentary gifts while they play.
"I haven't hit anything -- it's not going to be my day," Ms. Horodyski said as she walked away from a video poker machine that took her $20 with rude speed.
As a longtime gambling fan, however, she was happy to have another option, and just 40 minutes from home. She and her husband ran into a dozen other people they knew in the line outside, before opening.
"It's exciting. It's been a long time coming," she said. "I've raised my family and done my job, and I'd like to have a little bit of fun now ... controllable fun."
Brochures placed at cashier windows and slots club counters provided information on assistance with compulsive gambling, and ATMs advised anyone with problems to call the 1-800-GAMBLER help line. Those all seemed ignored on opening day. One tall man from Butler unremorsefully called himself "an addict for the slots," and happy to be present.
Richard Knight, chief executive officer of Presque Isle Downs, said those of the facility's 650 employees who deal directly with customers also received training on how to approach individuals who seem to have special gambling problems.
"We're not trying to create a bunch of psychologists," he said. "If you ask if you can help them, most people will let you know if they're having a problem."
Unlike tourism-based casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere, Presque Isle Downs does not give free alcohol to anyone who asks. It also closes from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m., although it's permitted to be open 24 hours.
"If we have demand, we'll do it in a minute," Mr. Knight said of expanding hours.
Erie County officials are expecting to receive about $11 million in annual revenue, which they have not yet determined how to spend. Some may be dedicated to infrastructure improvements and regional assets like the zoo and libraries, said County Executive Mark DiVecchio, and other funds may be held back to see what kind of social ills arise and need to be addressed, if any.
"We're small enough as a county that when we see problems, you can see the spikes, and we'll be ready to tackle them right away," Mr. DiVecchio said.
On the whole, though, he and other local officials have looked forward to the racetrack/casino as an economic boost for the region, just as the region's citizens have seen it as a new diversion.
Most patrons were middle-aged or above, some with canes, walkers or wheelchairs. That was no hindrance to younger fans, though, like Erie resident Trista DeSanti, in her 30s.
"I wasn't paying attention to who's here. I don't care who's here. I'm just here for the machines," she said, smiling after a $67 profit on the day.
For Joseph Naso, 55, one of many arrivals who said they were from the Cleveland area, which is closer to Erie than is Pittsburgh, "It's something to do in the wintertime. In summer, I'm on the golf course."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Gary Rotstein can be reached at grotstein@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1255. )
