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Hollywood Casino at the Meadows

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Unclaimed

A Pennsylvania racino combining a Standardbred harness-racing track, casino gaming, simulcasting, sports betting, dining, and entertainment.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Hollywood Casino at the Meadows is a racino and entertainment property in North Strabane Township, Pennsylvania, roughly 25 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. The site began as The Meadows horse-racing track in 1963 and later developed into a casino complex, combining live Standardbred harness racing with slot machines, table games, simulcast wagering, sports betting, dining, and recreational amenities. The property is one of Pennsylvania’s significant gaming and racing venues and is associated with the Hollywood Casino brand operated by Penn Entertainment. The site originated with the Washington Trotting Association, which broke ground in November 1962 for what was described as the first parimutuel horse-racing track in Western Pennsylvania. Racing began on June 28, 1963. Its identity was strongly shaped by harness-racing figure Delvin Miller, who became part of the ownership group in the 1970s. The facility’s signature race, the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, and a statue of Miller’s famous sire Adios preserve that connection. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission placed a historical marker at the track in 2009 recognizing Miller’s importance. The Meadows expanded beyond conventional track operations through technology and off-track wagering. In 1983 it introduced Call-A-Bet, a telephone wagering-account system, and the Meadows Racing Network, a televised racing service distributed through local cable providers. The property later passed through several ownership and operating arrangements. Stuart A. Williams purchased it in 1986, and Ladbroke Group acquired it in 1988, renaming the venue Ladbroke at the Meadows and developing a network of Pennsylvania off-track betting parlors. Magna Entertainment leased the track beginning in 2001, upgraded Call-A-Bet into the broader Xpressbet service, and connected the property to its racing-media operations. Pennsylvania legislation in 2004 made The Meadows eligible for a slot-machine license. After a legal challenge by gambling opponents, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board awarded the property a gaming license on September 27, 2006. Construction of a temporary casino began in November 2006, and that facility opened on June 11, 2007. The permanent casino opened on April 15, 2009, after the original grandstand was removed to make room for the new complex. The development included approximately 350,000 square feet of casino and related space, more than 3,300 slot machines, restaurants, a café, a steakhouse overlooking the track, simulcast facilities, VIP areas, a covered grandstand, and a 24-lane bowling center. Table games were added after an invitation-only test period in July 2010, followed by public availability of games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps. The casino also used RFID-enabled chips as an anti-counterfeiting measure. In 2019 the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board approved a sports-betting license for the property. A retail sportsbook opened in October of that year, and the DraftKings online sportsbook connected to the property launched in November 2019. Ownership and operating control changed again in the 2010s. Cannery Casino Resorts purchased the track in 2006, while Magna remained as operator under a management agreement. A proposed sale to Crown Limited was abandoned in 2009. Gaming and Leisure Properties ultimately acquired the real estate in 2016. Pinnacle Entertainment purchased the operating business and leased the property from GLPI, before Penn National Gaming acquired Pinnacle’s operations in 2018. Penn National, now Penn Entertainment, operates the casino business under a long-term lease arrangement, while GLPI retains ownership of the underlying real estate. The racing component remains central to the property’s identity. The Meadows operates a five-eighths-mile oval for harness racing and has historically conducted more than 200 live-racing days in a year. Its calendar has included the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, Adioo Volo, Arden Downs, Currier and Ives events, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, Pennsylvania Fair Finals, and Keystone Classic races. The venue has also hosted selected editions of nationally significant stakes events, including the Messenger Stakes during the period from 1995 through 2003. Alongside racing, the casino’s Hollywood branding positions the property as a full-service gaming and leisure destination for the Pittsburgh region and wider Pennsylvania market.

History

The Meadows began as a Standardbred harness-racing project sponsored by the Washington Trotting Association. Groundbreaking took place in November 1962, and the track opened on June 28, 1963, under the name The Meadows. It was established as a parimutuel racing venue serving southwestern Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh area. In February 1973, the Washington Trotting Association was purchased by an ownership group that included trainer and driver Delvin Miller. Miller’s influence became a lasting part of the property’s heritage. The track’s most prominent race was named the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, and a statue of Adios was installed near the entrance. A state historical marker recognizing Miller’s contribution was erected at the venue in 2009. The property adopted new wagering and broadcasting technologies in 1983. Call-A-Bet allowed customers to establish accounts and place race wagers by telephone. At the same time, the Meadows Racing Network televised live racing and distributed the programming through local cable systems. The services were promoted with the slogan “Every 16 minutes, the place goes crazy,” referring to the rapid cycle of harness-racing programs. Stuart A. Williams purchased The Meadows in 1986. Two years later, England-based Ladbroke Group PLC acquired the track and renamed it Ladbroke at the Meadows. Ladbroke also established off-track betting locations in several Pennsylvania communities. Magna Entertainment leased the track from Ladbroke in 2001 and broadened the wagering business. It converted Call-A-Bet into Xpressbet, an internet- and telephone-based service that eventually supported wagering on hundreds of tracks, and linked The Meadows to the HRTV racing television network. The off-track betting outlets were subsequently rebranded around The Meadows name. Cannery Casino Resorts purchased the track in July 2006, with Magna retained under a five-year management agreement. A proposed transaction involving Crown Limited was announced in 2007 but collapsed in 2009. The ownership situation later shifted toward a separation between property ownership and operating control. In 2014, Cannery agreed to sell The Meadows to Gaming and Leisure Properties. The announced price was later reduced from $465 million to $440 million after GLPI alleged that Cannery had misrepresented the property’s financial performance. The transaction closed in September 2016, when Pinnacle Entertainment acquired the operating business for $138 million and leased the real estate from GLPI for $25 million per year. Penn National Gaming acquired Pinnacle’s operations in October 2018 and later operated the property under the Penn Entertainment name. The casino emerged from Pennsylvania’s expansion of legalized gaming. Legislation enacted in July 2004 identified The Meadows as a potential location for slot-machine gaming. After the legislation survived a legal challenge, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board granted the property a gaming license on September 27, 2006. Construction on a temporary casino began in November 2006, and the temporary facility opened on June 11, 2007. The permanent casino opened on April 15, 2009. Development required removal of the original grandstand and created a large casino and entertainment complex with approximately 350,000 square feet of space. Its amenities included more than 3,300 slot machines, food and beverage venues, a steakhouse overlooking the racetrack, a covered grandstand, simulcast viewing facilities, VIP boxes, and a 24-lane bowling center. Table games were introduced after a July 2010 test period and opened publicly on July 8. The property also used RFID-equipped chips intended to help identify legitimate casino chips and deter counterfeiting. In January 2018, live racing was temporarily halted after EHV-1 was detected. Horses and barns were quarantined, and racing resumed in less than a month. In 2019, the property received approval for sports betting. The retail sportsbook held a soft opening on October 8 and a public grand opening on October 10. DraftKings’ associated online sportsbook launched on November 4. The racing track remains a defining component of the racino. Its oval measures five-eighths of a mile, with races generally using a one-mile standard distance and beginning on the backstretch. The venue has conducted racing on more than 200 days in some years and has hosted major stakes such as the Adios, Adioo Volo, Arden Downs, Currier and Ives, Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, Pennsylvania Fair Finals, and Keystone Classic. The property’s present identity therefore rests on the combination of a historic harness-racing institution and a modern, commercially diversified casino complex.

  • 2019

    Sportsbook launches

    [1]

    Retail sports betting opened in October, and the DraftKings online sportsbook launched in November.

  • 2018

    Penn National acquires operations

    [1]

    Penn National Gaming acquired the operating business through its acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment.

  • 2016

    Real estate ownership transfers to GLPI

    [1]

    Gaming and Leisure Properties completed its acquisition of the property’s real estate, while Pinnacle acquired the operating business.

  • 2010

    Table games launch

    [1]

    Table games became available to the general public on July 8 following a test period.

  • 2009

    Permanent casino opens

    [1]

    The permanent casino complex opened on April 15 after redevelopment of the grandstand area.

  • 2007

    Temporary casino opens

    [1]

    The property opened a temporary casino adjacent to the racetrack on June 11.

  • 2006

    Gaming license awarded

    [1]

    The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board awarded The Meadows a license for slot-machine gaming.

  • 2001

    Magna Entertainment begins leasing the track

    [1]

    Magna Entertainment leased the property and expanded its wagering and racing-media operations.

  • 1988

    Ladbroke Group acquires and renames the property

    [1]

    Ladbroke Group PLC purchased the track and operated it as Ladbroke at the Meadows.

  • 1986

    Stuart A. Williams purchases the track

    [1]

    Pittsburgh lawyer Stuart A. Williams acquired the property.

Products and positioning

A regional Pennsylvania racino that combines casino gaming and sports betting with a long-established Standardbred racing venue, dining, and family-oriented entertainment.

  • Casino · 2007

    Casino gaming

    The casino offers a large slot-machine floor and a range of table games introduced in 2010, including blackjack, roulette, and craps. The permanent complex was designed as the principal gaming and entertainment component of the racino and includes food, beverage, VIP, and simulcast amenities.

  • Horse racing · 1963

    Standardbred harness racing

    The Meadows operates a five-eighths-mile oval for live Standardbred harness racing. Its schedule has historically included more than 200 racing days in a year and features signature and regional stakes events, including the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids and Pennsylvania-bred racing programs.

  • Racing wagering · 1983

    Simulcast wagering

    Simulcast facilities allow customers to view and wager on races from The Meadows and other tracks. The property’s racing-wagering history also includes Call-A-Bet, the Meadows Racing Network, and Magna’s later Xpressbet service.

  • Sports betting · 2019

    Sportsbook

    The property added regulated sports betting in 2019 after approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. A retail sportsbook opened in October, with online wagering offered through a DraftKings partnership beginning in November.

  • Hospitality and entertainment · 2009

    Dining and leisure entertainment

    The complex includes multiple food and beverage venues, a café, a steakhouse with views of the racetrack, VIP spaces, a covered grandstand, and a 24-lane bowling center. These amenities broaden the property beyond wagering and support its role as a regional entertainment destination.

Marketing campaigns

  • 1983Every 16 minutes, the place goes crazy

    Pennsylvania · United States

    A promotional slogan highlighted the quick frequency of harness-racing events while introducing Call-A-Bet and the Meadows Racing Network.

    Outcome. The campaign supported the property’s early technology-led expansion in telephone wagering and televised racing.

    Source

Brand decisions

  • 2019

    Launch of regulated sports bettingProduct launch

    Background

    Pennsylvania’s regulated sports-betting market created an opportunity to add sportsbook services to the racino.

    Action taken

    The property obtained approval, opened a retail sportsbook, and partnered with DraftKings for online sports betting.

    Aftermath

    Sports wagering became an additional gaming product alongside slots, table games, racing, and simulcasting.

    Source

  • 2016

    Separation of real-estate ownership and operationsM&A

    Background

    Gaming and Leisure Properties agreed to acquire the property from Cannery, with the transaction price later reduced after a dispute over financial representations.

    Action taken

    GLPI acquired the real estate, while Pinnacle Entertainment purchased the operating business and leased the facility.

    Aftermath

    The property adopted a real-estate-investment-trust ownership structure with a separate gaming operator.

    Real-estate purchase price; operating-business purchase price; annual lease. $465 million announced price, later reduced to $440 million → $138 million paid by Pinnacle for operations; $25 million annual lease (2014-2016)

    Source

  • 2010

    Expansion into table gamesProduct launch

    Background

    The property initially operated primarily as a slot-machine casino alongside the racetrack.

    Action taken

    After an invitation-only test date, the casino opened blackjack, roulette, craps, and other table games to the public.

    Aftermath

    The property became a broader casino offering rather than a slots-only racino.

    Source

  • 2006

    Construction of a casino complexProduct launch

    Background

    The Meadows had been selected as an eligible Pennsylvania gaming location and received a state gaming license.

    Action taken

    Construction began on a temporary casino in November 2006, followed by development of a permanent facility.

    Aftermath

    The temporary casino opened in 2007 and the permanent casino opened in 2009.

    Source

  • 2004

    Pursuit of slot-machine gamingStrategy

    Background

    Pennsylvania legislation identified The Meadows as a potential site for licensed slot-machine gaming, although opponents challenged the law.

    Action taken

    The property pursued licensing and casino development while continuing its racing operations.

    Aftermath

    The gaming framework survived legal challenge, and The Meadows received its license in 2006.

    Source

Sources1 sources

  1. 1Hollywood Casino at The Meadowsen.wikipedia.org

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