Jun 9, 2023 3 min read

Matt Heiskell stepped to the podium and smiled his easy smile.

“I did not plan to get into the casino business,” he said Thursday morning – from inside a casino.

Heiskell reflected on how he started as an informational technology consultant, then “decided this was not for me.” So he pursued and secured a master’s in business administration and transitioned into the casino industry, where “I learned every part of the business.”

After stops at several casinos out of state, Heiskell is now displaying his vast knowledge at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows, where he is the relatively new general manager. He was the featured speaker at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce’s Breakfast Briefing, a short stroll from his office inside the North Strabane gaming complex.

“You have to be mobile in this business,” said Heiskell, who has overseen operations there for six months. “This is a 24-hour job.”

Casino gambling and harness racing, of course, are the signature attractions at The Meadows, which is celebrating its 60th birthday this year. Heiskell was laudatory about both of those gambling dynamics, but also was bullish on providing a quality experience for all customers and attracting new ones.

He talked about food and beverage offerings, which have expanded over the years. Heiskell said about 1,000 entrees are served daily at The Meadows, which is open 24/7.

The events center, with seating for about 1,000, hosts concerts and other entertainment. Heiskell called the annual Food Truck Festival, which took place recently, “an amazing event.” Country music star Trace Atkins is scheduled to perform there June 16.

Heiskell referred to the center as “essentially a tent with 1,000 seats” and speculated that an upgrade could be ahead. “We’re hoping to make something more permanent,” there or elsewhere on the grounds. “We want shows year-round, not just mainly ‘summer-like’ events.”

The Meadows was strictly a harness track during its first 46 years, and Heiskell said racing “is still an incredibly viable part of our business. Six hundred horses are stabled here. This is a massive operation.

“We race all year long. Our weather allows that. We plan to celebrate 60 years of racing.”

He praised Barstool Sportsbook, a $7 million project that has been a popular betting option at the casino.

Heiskell also discussed a dynamic he referred to as “three C’s” – cash-less, contact-less and card-less. He could have made that “four C’s,” adding convenience. He stressed several times that The Meadows is trying to expand its customer base, and plans to implement initiatives that could maximum the guest experience.

During a brief question-and-answer session, longtime Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi thanked Heiskell and his predecessors for The Meadows’ continued contributions to Local Share Account funding. The money is generated through the county’s share of gaming revenues and helps pay for community projects across the county.

The general manager lauded his employees as well. He said there are 670 of them, 40% of them women, 92% Pennsylvanians and many with longevity. “The tenures of our employees is amazing in a business like this.”

Matt Heiskell said all of this in a place where he once did not envision himself being.