Press Release Details

SAN DIEGO & WYOMISSING, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 25, 2015-- Jamul Indian Village of California (“JIV”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, Inc. (NASDAQ:PENN) (the “Company” or “Penn National Gaming”) celebrated the “Topping Out” of the planned $360 million Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego in a private ceremony this month. In addition, JIV and Penn unveiled dining and entertainment concepts as construction continues on the Reservation.

“This marks another milestone in the development of our gaming facility and path to economic independence,” said Erica Pinto, Chairperson of Jamul Indian Village. “We are proud that this project has already employed hundreds of San Diego County construction workers and will continue to do so until our expected opening next year.”

“Topping Out” is one of the construction industry’s oldest customs. A black oak tree was placed on the last beam fitted into the exterior of a building, celebrating the completion of the structural components and marking the halfway point in the construction of a facility. Photos from JIV’s Topping Out ceremony can be found here: www.JamulIndianVillage.com/Press.

Construction of Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego includes an eight-story parking garage being built below ground, while the casino is being constructed concurrently and is supported by steel structure. When complete, the exterior of the facility will feature an earth tone color palette and downcast lighting to integrate with and complement the surrounding area.

“We have worked tirelessly for well over a decade listening to the voices of the community, addressing concerns, and ultimately developing a project that blends seamlessly into the region,” said Pinto. “We look forward to continuing to be good neighbors – and now job creators, philanthropic leaders, and active business partners in San Diego County.”

To date, approximately 20,000 cubic yards of concrete has been poured and nearly 5,000 tons of steel have been erected. Construction workers and the local building trades unions have completed over 500,000 work hours. Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego is expected to have created a total of 1,500 construction jobs upon completion, and the gaming facility is expected to create approximately 1,000 permanent jobs with benefits once it is opened.

JIV and Penn National Gaming also unveiled the first dining and entertainment concepts at Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego, including, among others:

• Final Cut Steak & Seafood – a contemporary American steakhouse serving hand-cut to order USDA Prime Beef, fresh and local seafood, and an extensive wine list;
• A noodle bar featuring authentic Asian flavors will be served in traditional and contemporary dishes;
• An upscale sports bar and posh lounge featuring national and regional entertainment located just steps away from the gaming action;
• A roof-top beer garden highlighting local and international breweries with expansive views of the region; and
• A four-venue food court.

“These dining and entertainment offerings will provide customers a variety of top quality options in one place,” said Richard St. Jean, General Manager of the Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego. “Importantly, it will also allow us to highlight products and entertainment from East County to promote the region to guests and drive visitation and sales to businesses throughout the area.”

JIV and Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego have created a Local Business Partnership Program and are reaching out to area businesses to identify products and services to sell and promote at the casino. Additional information about the partnership program, as well as the types of jobs that will be available at the casino, can be found on JIV’s website, www.JamulIndianVillage.com. Digital versions of the renderings can be found here: www.JamulIndianVillage.com/Press.

About Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego

Expected to open in mid-2016, Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego is located approximately 20 miles east of downtown San Diego off State Route 94. The facility will feature approximately 1,700 slot machines and 43 live table games along with multiple dining and entertainment options.

About Jamul Indian Village of California

The Kumeyaay Nation of Southern California can be traced back 12,000 years with first European contact occurring at San Diego Bay in 1524. Jamul Indian Village of California, one of 13 bands of the Kumeyaay Nation federally recognized as a sovereign nation, traces its roots to these natives. Jamul Indian Village of California strives to provide a greater quality of life for its people by providing educational opportunities, health care and employment opportunities today to open the doors of tomorrow. Jamul Indian Village of California entered into a 1999 Tribal-State compact in October 1999 with then Governor Davis. For more information about JIV, please visit www.JamulIndianVillage.com.

About Penn National Gaming

Penn National Gaming owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. At March 31, 2015, the Company operated twenty-six facilities in seventeen jurisdictions, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. At March 31, 2015, in aggregate, Penn National Gaming’s operated facilities featured approximately 31,000 gaming machines, 760 table games and 3,100 hotel rooms.

Forward-Looking Statements for Penn National Gaming

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should” or “anticipates” or the negative or other variations of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties, including future plans, strategies, performance, developments, acquisitions, capital expenditures, and operating results. Actual results may vary materially from expectations. These forward looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Penn National Gaming and its subsidiaries, including, with respect to the proposed Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego, particular risks associated with financing a project of this type, sovereign immunity, local opposition (including several pending lawsuits), and building a complex project on a relatively small parcel; as well as market conditions affecting local markets and the risks associated with construction projects (such as delays and unexpected costs), and accordingly, any forward looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, as well as any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statements except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150625005360/en/

Source: Penn National Gaming, Inc.

MJE Marketing
Marlee J. Ehrenfeld, 619-682-3841
Marlee@mjemarketing.com
or
Penn National Gaming
Eric Schippers, 610-373-2400
Eric.Schippers@pngaming.com