Elected Officials Help Celebrate Ribbon-Cutting Event at Rosecroft Raceway
Several local and state elected officials gathered at Rosecroft Raceway to join harness racing industry representatives and Penn National Gaming officials to celebrate Rosecroft’s official re-‐opening on Friday, November 11th.
After being shuttered for over a year, Rosecroft Raceway re-‐opened for simulcasting this past summer and began live racing on October 21st. The ribbon cutting ceremony marked Rosecroft’s return to live racing for the harness racing industry. Rosecroft will host a 20-‐day race meet this year (ending December 17th) and a 54-‐ day race meet in 2012.
Elected officials expressed their exuberance for the return of live racing at Rosecroft and the re-‐hiring of many workers who were laid off when the racetrack closed its doors in 2009.
Representatives from Penn National Gaming included SVP of Development, Steven Snyder, VP of Racing Operations Christopher McErlean and Director of Public Affairs Karen Bailey. The Penn representatives were joined by several local and state elected official including Senate President Mike Miller, Senators Anthony Muse, Douglas Peters, Ulysses Currie; Delegates Veronica Turner, Anne Healey, Jay Walker, Ben Barnes, Alisha Braveboy, Joe Valario and a representative of Delegate Valderama. Prince George’s County Council members Obie Patterson, Karen Toles and Mel Franklin also helped kick off the celebrations in the ribbon-‐cutting event.
“It’s a good day and it’s been a long time coming and there are so many persons who have worked with us down in the legislature and the county council to make sure that this happened. It also helps to have the President of the Senate on your side. All of this has helped us in making sure that these lights came back on. Racing is here again. Jobs are once more flourishing. This is a Rosecroft that we’ve historically known and this is a Rosecroft we’ve waited to see again in all of its glory,” noted Senator Anthony Muse in his opening remarks for the ceremony.
Penn National’s SVP for Development Steve Snyder thanked the group for taking the time to come out to the evening’s event and, “more importantly taking the time over the last months and years to really support us and to support this business and to support us in bringing these jobs back.”
