In 2007 there was a vote that failed, and I thought I had read at the time that another vote for allowing table games and poker in Charles Town was supposed to take place in two years (2009).

Couldn't find much via a google search. Anyone know anything about this?

Thanks in advance.

Would love to know about this as well. I had heard that there could be another vote in June of this year, but I can't find the article I read it in.

I had also heard speculation that if Maryland approved slots (which they did last year), Charles Town would be more willing to vote for table games. Again though I have no link to back it up. Regardless, a full poker room within one hour's drive from Northern Virginia would be a beautiful thing.

I own part interest in several cheap claiming horses at Charles Town. My trainer indicated to me that Penn Gaming (owner of CharlesTown race and slots) now has the backing of the Charles Town Horse Racing Association for table games (something they did not have last vote two years ago).

Plus a recent report that the other Counties in West Virginia that voted YES for table games two years ago are experiencing revenue in excess from table games that was projected - meaning the Jefferson County where Charles Town is located has not been getting a dime additional revenue. Throw in the fact that Maryland has already approved slots which will reduce slot revenue at Charles Town, plus the fact that table games will bring an additional 500 jobs to the County - plus add millions to education and the horsemen and you can see that it stands a good chance that the bill will pass next time it is voted on.

What Penn gaming is doing is starting to make calls to local residents to survey how they would vote. They (Penn Gaming) thought last time two years ago the table games bill would be voted YES slam dunk and was shocked it was not.. they are not going to do that again this time and will lobby to get all support before they put to a County resident vote.

And yes, they can at their cost have a ballot as early as June of this year. No word on what date they plan on doing this yet.

This is great news for a DC resident who hates making the drive to AC.

Steve that is a great post, thanks for the information and I hope it plays out like you mentioned.

Leading up to the vote in 2007 it seemed that the county was expected to pass it but I heard a lot of slow-growth money got thrown against it at the last minute (the slow growth crowd is murdering us in Loudoun County service-wise) and swung the issue. I really hope this gets voted on in June and passes because like +EV said, that drive sucks.

I think Charles Town will be swamped with players from my area because Loudoun and Fairfax have a lot of poker players and a lot of disposable income even considering the present economic conditions.

Thanks. Great Info. This sounds promising. I live in MD, near DC, and know people who live in near Charles Town. Live poker there would be great.

Any idea on when poker would come if, for example, a vote passed in June? What's the lead time on actually getting something like that up and running?

I would expect they'd get the poker room up and running within 2-6 months. Wheeling opened their poker room months before their pit. And one thing the CT wouldn't have to contend with is the several month delay that Wheeling and Mountaineer had to wait out while the state's gaming authority hammered out gaming rules and built up their regulartory and procedural infrastructure. Last time around I heard a rumor that CT was going to locate the poker room in an area that is part of the hotel they opened last year. Rumor also had it that they might have opened a temporary room pending completion of the hotel building.

Bad news guys. I heard on WBAL yesterday that Penn gaming will NOT ask for a vote this year by Jefferson county residents. The reason cited was that internal polling indicated that the measure would still not pass. I have been unable to corroborate this story via a link, so take it for what it's worth. I hope this is incorrect but I am sure it was what I heard.

Never have I been more happy at the start of a post only to have my hopes dashed by the end....hopefully, that's incorrect information, really want them to get poker out to that part of WV.

Love that this thread pops up first when you google: "Charles Town, WV poker news"

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=49262

The link you requested re: PNG not trying again in 2009 for CT table games.

Thanks Kevmath, hope they can get the polling to ask for the vote in '10.

This totally sucks.

Anyone have contacts at Penn Gaming? There's a world of campaign talent just an hour and fifteen minutes from Charlestown, and a lot of them play poker. We could put together an all volunteer force that could pass that referendum for them with no problem.

Probably never. As long as the horse racing community is alive and well they will never allow poker to cut into their business.

Umm Griz, Penn Gaming ASKED for a vote 2 years ago that lost, they WANT table games.

obg

A co-worker of mine is helping her neice plan a wedding in the Northern Virginia area. They are on a limited budget and wanted to have a nice wedding that was different. They decided to rent a ballroom at Charles Town Track - room overlooks the track. Wedding will be on a Saturday night. So with the new hotel they just opened at Charles Town it will be a unique type of wedding. Especially for those guests that like to drink and play slot machines.

They were thinking of having the wedding next Spring but was told they had to have the wedding before the end of 2009 as they were turning the ballroom into more adminstrative offices and a training area for tables games that is expected to be coming shortly to the track.

Now what does this mean in light of Penn Gaming saying they had no plans to bring to a vote this June table games in Jefferson County ?

If you read my earlier post in this thread, you see information that a trainer at the track gave. Everyone also realizes that Jefferson County has lost out on the millions for education, seniors and potential new jobs that voting against table games two years ago has resulted in. The horseman now will be approving table games (something they did not do last time).

I believe Penn Gaming is posturing with the County residents and lobbying behind the scenes with the community so when they do come out and say they are putting table games on a ballot again (this can happen anytime after June 1st - at Penn Gaming expense though) - they want to make sure that there is NO question that the bill will pass this time. They rather not come out and say they are putting to a ballot again in hopes that the anti table games folks in the County do not rally their forces before they (Penn) is pretty sure the majority of residents will pass the bill this time.

The fact that a co-worker of mine was told that the ballroom for the planned wedding will not be available after 2009 kind of indicates that the construction plans - including hiring plans are already in place at Charles Town. So I would be shocked it we do not hear by the Fall at the latest that a vote for table games is being put to the county residents by year end.

Again - this is just information I am passing along from third parties. Make your own judgements

I just wanted to add that my co-worker was told they were moving the adminstrative offices to the ballroom as the plans calls for the current adminstrative office area to be converted into temporary table games area until they expand the building with further contruction. She said they would also have the table game training area located in the current ballroom area.


Thats alot of specific information for Charles Town to be giving her on why the ballroom is not going to be available in the Spring for a potential wedding.

Again, draw your own conclusion. Mine is that Penn gaming will be in fact putting this on the ballot for a county vote

You mean, like slots do?

Steve D,

Your positive news got me digging again into this topic. Here is something very interesting that I found that meshes with what you are saying. http://www.timesleader.com/news/ap?articleID=1728272

WVa track says '09 table game vote still possible



(AP)

Charles Town Races & Slots won't put a table games question on the ballot for June, but that doesn't mean it won't come up later in the year.



John Finamore, an executive at Charles Town owner Penn National Gaming Inc., says all options are open after June.

Jefferson County voters rejected table games in 2007, but Wyomissing, Pa. based Penn National can try again after a two-year wait.

Finamore says the past year's economic turmoil shows public sentiment can shift quickly.

While many support table games, Finamore says they don't always show up on election day. So the track wants to see demonstrable support.

Charles Town has 5,000 slot machines but wants poker, blackjack and other games to remain competitive.

It would be fantastic to see Charles Town pass this before the end of the year.

Obviously fantastic news for people living in the DC area. Anyone who hears more please post.

CHARLES TOWN - The "better deal" that many area residents had hoped for when table games were defeated in a referendum in 2007 may be on the way.

A bill to increase the portion of revenues from table games that would go to the counties and cities where tracks are located passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson, sponsor of the measure, said this week that the bill would allocate 1 percent of the taxes generated from table games for county governments. An additional 1 percent would go to the municipalities located within the area.

Discuss.

Also, not trying for a thread hijack but if any of you guys in the Norther VA, WV, PA, Maryland area have any room in your home games/ tourneys, shoot me a pm. Looking for 1/2 - 2/5 nl, and tourneys 40$ + buyins. Would be open to other game types as well.


MillConsole542

There's more to the story. It's not a done deal. Read the rest of the article.






.

Oh most definetly, but this is a step in the right direction. If they do end up passing the bill this time, what would you guys guess/like to see them having in terms of number of tables?? I would like to see something along the lines of 20-30. Thoughts??

MillConsole542

20-30 would be great for that casino, but I'd like to see as many as possible. It would be in their best interest to make a large poker room because there are lots of people who play poker in the NoVa, DC & MD areas. They'd also pull people from PA. THe more the better.

I'd be up there every weekend.

I'm doing a homework project on this topic and found out that the House shot down this bill last weekend? Surprised that hasn't been brought up in this thread.

I just got done talking to a member of the House who said that the committee didn't vote on the bill or have any say in it whatsoever - but instead the Speaker basically told everyone that he didn't like the bill and he was throwing it out. WTF?