Charles Town Races & Slots won approval Dec. 5 to install table games to go along with its 5,000 video lottery terminals.
The vote tally in Jefferson County, W.Va., was 6,279-4,343, according to the Associated Press. Table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette already were approved by the state legislature, but local approval also was necessary.
A similar vote in Jefferson County failed in 2007, when counties in which the state’s other three racetracks are located approved table games.
Track owner Penn National Gaming Inc. claims the addition of the games will create 500 jobs and help the local economy. Horsemen and breeders will receive a small share of the revenue.
PNGI senior vice president John Finamore told the Associated Press it could take up to six months to have the games in operation. Charles Town already has a dedicated space for the games, which means it won’t have to remove VLTs.
Track officials have argued the expansion is important given plans for Pennsylvania to add table games to its slot-machine operations, and the advent of slots in Maryland. Both states border West Virginia.