State board approves Churchill Downs to manage Lady Luck Casino in Farmington
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has approved a change in management at Lady Luck Casino in Farmington, Fayette County, with Churchill Downs, operator of the Kentucky Derby, set to take over.
Churchill Downs presented a petition to the state board last week that transferred management from Eldorado Resorts. In August, Eldorado Resorts indicated operations were to be transferred to Churchill Downs for $100,000.
The petition stated that Churchill Downs has been interested in expanding its footprint into Pennsylvania for years.
The petition added that the casino’s general manager and the management team at Lady Luck Casino will remain the same. The casino, in Wharton Township, will continue to operate under the existing management agreement that was previously approved by the gaming board.
Churchill Downs already manages Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, and noted in the petition that Presque Isle Downs and Lady Luck generated a combined 6 percent of the state’s total slot machine revenue and 2 percent of its total table game revenue last year. Lady Luck opened in July 2013 and has 600 slot machines and 27 table games in the 69,000-square-foot resort casino.
In addition to horse racing, Churchill Downs owns eight casinos and three hotels.