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Centaur retains new construction firm

"We are pleased to bring LPCiminelli on board to help us with these two very exciting projects," said Roderick J. Ratcliff, Centaur's chairman and CEO. "They have a long, impressive resume of successfully building these types of gaming facilities, and I have no doubt their experienced team will deliver our vision to build first-class gaming and horse racing venues."

LPCiminelli will serve as program manager for the Hoosier Park project in Anderson, Indiana. Opened as a thoroughbred horseracing track in 1994, Hoosier Park will now add on 92,000 square feet to construct a new, stand- alone permanent building north of the existing facility to house 2,000 slot machines. The new facility will also feature a bar and lounge, VIP/High Limit area, deli, coffee shop and buffet. It will be connected to the original facility by walkways and escalators. Work is to begin immediately, with a projected completion date of mid-2008. The total project value is $375 million.

LPCiminelli will serve as construction manager for the Valley View Downs project. Centaur received approval from the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission on September 5 to build and operate a mile-long harness track and gaming facility in northwest Pennsylvania. Valley View Downs will be developed on a 250-acre site in Lawrence County, just 55 miles from Pittsburgh.

When completed, Valley View Downs will have 150 live racing days on the one-mile racing oval and 363 days of simulcast. The backstretch area, when fully developed, will feature eight barns with stalls for 712 horses, as well as a paddock with 145 additional stalls and dormitory facilities for 100 horsemen.

The clubhouse and entertainment facility will spread across 250,000 square feet, with two main levels featuring restaurants, lounges, concession stands, an outdoor terrace, tiered indoor viewing areas and a race book "tele-theater" to view races simulcast from other venues. It will house 3,000 slot machines. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2008 and be completed by the end of 2009. The total project value is approximately $475 million.

"It is our privilege to be chosen by Centaur Gaming for the Hoosier Park and Valley View projects," said Louis Ciminelli, chairman and CEO of LPCiminelli. "Building these projects on such an expedited timetable is always a challenge, but we believe Centaur has great plans for both facilities and given our experience, we are fully prepared to meet that challenge."

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