Charles Town Newest Member of TRA

from the Thoroughbred Racing Associations

Charles Town Races & Slots is the newest member of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, the racetrack trade group announced Oct. 7.

Charles Town, in West Virginia, opened in 1933 and conducts racing year-round. Charles Town was the first facility in the nation to conduct winter Thoroughbred racing. After being sold to the Shenandoah Corp. in 1972, the company closed neighboring Shenandoah Downs, and its dates were moved to Charles Town.

During the early 1990s, the track was put on the market. Penn National Gaming Inc. purchased Charles Town, contingent upon the legalization of video lottery terminals. When the enabling legislation passed in November 1996, the purchase was completed.

Charles Town has more than 5,000 VLTs. The Inn at Charles Town opened this year with 153 rooms featuring suites and rooms with views of the live-racing action and large flat-screen televisions in every room.

PNGI has been a longtime member of TRA, with its namesake property, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, having joined in 1972. The company’s vice president of racing, Chris McErlean, is a longtime TRA director.

The Maryland-based TRA currently has 46 member associations conducting racing at 41 tracks in the United States and Canada.