Penn National Gaming Submits $25 Million Payment for Massachusetts Gaming License

PLAINVILLE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Penn National Gaming, Inc. PENN (“the Company” or “Penn National”) announced today that it has submitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts an electronic payment of $25 million for the Plainridge Park Casino gaming license. The Company was awarded the Commonwealth's sole Category 2 gaming license on February 28, 2014.

Penn National held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 14, 2014. The Company also hosted a construction vendor event earlier this week focused on Massachusetts-based minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned and locally owned businesses interested in contracting with the Company in the development of Plainridge Park Casino. In addition, Penn National has entered into cross-marketing agreements with nearly 50 area businesses to help the community participate more fully in the benefits of this economic development project.

“Our license payment today is another important milestone in the birth of this new industry for Massachusetts,” said Eric Schippers, Sr. Vice President of Public Affairs for Penn National Gaming. “With preparation for the construction of our $225 million Plainridge Park Casino getting underway, our project alone will create 1,500 new jobs and generate significant revenue for the Commonwealth, our local communities, and Massachusetts' small businesses. Coupled with the eventual Category 1 licensees, the gaming industry will be a leading revenue generator, job creator, and economic engine for the Commonwealth for years to come.”

About Plainridge Park Casino

Plainridge Park Casino will include a fully integrated 106,000 square foot racing and gaming facility featuring live harness racing and simulcasting with 1,250 slot machines, an upscale casual dining restaurant, the first-ever Doug Flutie Sports Bar, four-venue food court, harness concourse bar, multi-purpose banquet room, entertainment lounge and casino bar, 1,620 structured and surface parking spaces, 26,000 square foot grandstand with box and reserved seats, and 13,000 square foot clubhouse with box seats.

About Penn National Gaming

Penn National Gaming, through its subsidiaries, owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. The Company presently operates twenty-seven facilities in eighteen jurisdictions, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. In aggregate, Penn National's operated facilities feature approximately 31,000 gaming machines, 800 table games and 2,900 hotel rooms.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “should,” or “anticipates,” or the negative or other variation of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. Such forward looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Penn National Gaming and its subsidiaries, including risks related to the ultimate location of the various other gaming facilities in Massachusetts and the ongoing efforts in the state to repeal the enabling legislation, and accordingly, any forward looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors described in Penn National Gaming's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent written and oral forward looking statements attributable to Penn National Gaming or persons acting on the Company's behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included in this press release. Penn National Gaming undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements contained or incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur.