Ocean Downs

Maryland's second casino opened at Ocean Downs racetrack (around since 1949), built on the site of the former grandstand. Casino hours: 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. five days a week, and until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Racing: Live racing runs June 17-Sept. 2. Games to play: The casino's 800 slot machines range from penny to $25 plays. It also offers electronic table games including blackjack and roulette. Entertainment: Ocean Downs doesn't have a separate entertainment calendar, but it's a short drive to the beach if you are looking for something to do after playing the slots.

Revenue at Maryland's three casinos in March reached $58 million, with two that have been opened for at least a year seeing a decrease from a year earlier, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reported Friday. Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County generated $9.48 million for the month from slot machines and newly introduced gaming tables - a decrease of $4.24 million, or nearly 35 percent, from a year ago. The Casino at Ocean Downs in Worcester County reported revenue of $3.95 million - a decrease of $130,622, or 3.2 percent, from the year before.

Hoping to turn around the struggling resort, Maryland's slots location committee awarded a license Thursday for a casino at Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort in Allegany County. The Video Lottery Facility Location Commission voted unanimously to issue the license to Evitts Resort LLC, the sole remaining applicant after the panel eliminated a group led by former Democratic Party Chairman Nathan Landow in January. The license is contingent on Evitts getting construction financing, but company officials do not expect that to be a problem.

Annapolis may be located on the banks of the Severn River, but during the first three months of the year it often seems to be an island - so isolated are members of the General Assembly from real life. The gyrations of lawmakers over the high-stakes issues of gambling and transportation have produced many such only-in-the-State-House moments in recent years. So, naturally, it makes sense that when the two are combined - as in an absurd proposal to install 2,500 slot machines at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport - the result is the kind of empty, pandering legislation that does the institution no credit.

The slots parlor at Ocean Downs racetrack in the Eastern Shore will open on Jan. 4, the casino announced Thursday. The Casino at Ocean Downs! in Berlin will be the second slots facility to open in Maryland. Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County opened in late September. The $45 million gaming facility in Ocean Downs will feature 700 slot machines and employ more than 200 people. hanah.cho@baltsun.com Text BUSINESS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun Business text alerts

Maryland's second gambling facility is set to open next week. Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino signed a slots license late Thursday for the Casino at Ocean Downs, ensuring that the state's second gambling facility will open Tuesday. The license was granted after the Eastern Shore casino near Ocean City conducted a successful trial run of its 750-machine facility Wednesday. The Casino at Ocean Downs near Ocean City will open to the public at 1 p.m. Tuesday and will join the Hollywood Casino Perryville in generating more slots revenue for the state.

The Ocean Downs harness race track will open for the first time in two years on Saturday, featuring qualifying races for the 40-day meet that begins June 19, with racing each Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday through Aug. 28. "We're very excited about the return of racing," said track general manager Peter Szymanski. "Construction of the casino and improvements to the race track took precedence and we elected to go without racing. When people come now they will see an improved facility, improved grandstands, a new HD toteboard, benches and refreshment stands.

The state's spending panel voted Wednesday to approve a $32.7 million contract for slot machines for the planned Eastern Shore casino, again over the objections of Comptroller Peter Franchot. Gov. Martin O'Malley and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp outvoted Franchot at the Board of Public Works meeting. Franchot, who opposes slot machine gambling, has questioned the amount of money the state is spending on its nascent program. Though approved by voters two years ago, none of the five planned casinos is up and running.

COLONIAL BEACH, Va. -- The Maryland Racing Commission yesterday urged the state to place slots at Laurel Park and Ocean Downs, the only two tracks eligible under legislation approved during a special General Assembly session last year. Allowing slots would increase foot traffic and boost the tracks' handle, the commission said in endorsing a two-page statement during its monthly meeting. Voters will consider in November whether to amend Maryland's constitution to allow 15,000 slot machines at five sites - one each in Baltimore City and in Allegany, Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester counties.

That villain the slot machine has Ocean Downs by the throat.The harness track near Ocean City has lost more than 200 horses to Harrington Raceway in Delaware since slots-rich Harrington opened last Sunday."

Maryland Live Casino will open Thursday at 8 a.m. and, according to officials, "never close again. " The Hanover facility, located adjacent to the Arundel Mills Mall, is the only one of the state's three casinos that requested full-time operation from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission. The passing of Question 7 during the November election made it legal for casinos in the state to operate 24 hours a day. Maryland Live had previous closed at 2 a.m. on weeknights and 4 a.m. on weekends.

I cannot agree with letter writer Susan Beckwell of Bowie who suggested that we keep Maryland money in Maryland by approving a sixth casino at National Harbor which is being promoted by politicians from that area ("Question 7: Keep Maryland money in Maryland," Oct. 22). If one wants to really keep Maryland money in Maryland, then I strongly recommend that we build the other two casinos already approved in Baltimore City and at Rocky Gap to go along with Arundel Mills, Ocean Downs and Perryville and then see if a sixth one along the Potomac River is warranted..

Nearly two years after Maryland's first casino opened, the state has yet to dole out any of the $3.6 million in slots revenue that has accumulated for small, minority- and women-owned businesses, frustrating advocates and lawmakers. State officials are still working on a program to distribute the money as capital investments or loans to small businesses, a process that Baltimore Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden criticized as being too slow. "What's taking so long?" asked McFadden, who inquired about the money last month in a letter to Gov. Martin O'Malley.

The Maryland State Lottery failed to collect tens of thousands of dollars from manufacturers who did not promptly fix inoperable slot machines, state auditors found in their first review of the agency since the start of the state's slots program in 2010. The audit also found other problems with slots oversight, as well as issues with security protections for the agency's computer networks. Both Bruce Myers, the legislative auditor, and Stephen Martino, the head of the lottery agency, characterized the issues as small problems for a fledgling slots operation that do not translate into any agency wrongdoing.

As a sometime visitor to Atlantic City casinos because of rebates, comps and free rooms, I know Maryland has to find a better way to get better activity than building more casinos. Just look at Atlantic City and its struggle with the casinos it has. There are too many and volume of gambling is down - otherwise, they wouldn't give rebates and free rooms. If we go ahead and build more casinos than what has been agreed to, owners and customers will not receive their best value. Leave well enough alone and go for the time being with Ocean Downs, Arundel Mills, Perryville, Rocky Gap and the future Baltimore City casino and see what happens.

Maryland's second casino opened at Ocean Downs racetrack (around since 1949), built on the site of the former grandstand. Casino hours: 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. five days a week, and until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Racing: Live racing runs June 17-Sept. 2. Games to play: The casino's 800 slot machines range from penny to $25 plays. It also offers electronic table games including blackjack and roulette. Entertainment: Ocean Downs doesn't have a separate entertainment calendar, but it's a short drive to the beach if you are looking for something to do after playing the slots.

Ocean Downs doesn't open officially until next Thursday night, but beginning at 2 p.m. tomorrow, the harness track near Ocean City will run 11 non-betting races.The races will feature amateurs as well as professionals driving horses from throughout the East Coast.Admission and parking are free, and the new owners, Bally's Maryland Inc., will offer discount hot dogs and beer as well as live music.After opening night, Ocean Downs will conduct racing Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept.

Ocean Downs owner William Rickman Jr. is trying to persuade Worcester County residents to lobby their legislators and local elected officials to support slot machines for his harness racing track outside Ocean City. Rickman's track has not been included in slots proposals that the General Assembly has considered over the past two years because of opposition from Eastern Shore lawmakers and Ocean City Mayor James N. Mathias Jr. Rickman had a color brochure mailed to about 15,000 Worcester County residents about a week ago, urging them to contact their elected officials.

Hoping to turn around the struggling resort, Maryland's slots location committee awarded a license Thursday for a casino at Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort in Allegany County. The Video Lottery Facility Location Commission voted unanimously to issue the license to Evitts Resort LLC, the sole remaining applicant after the panel eliminated a group led by former Democratic Party Chairman Nathan Landow in January. The license is contingent on Evitts getting construction financing, but company officials do not expect that to be a problem.

The House Ways and Means panel is meeting to discuss a new version of a gambling bill. Here are the quick details. - Voters would have to authorize 6th site in PG and table games at all casinos in Nov. - PG casino could have 3,000 VLTS (using most of unallocated VLTs in state.) (Unclear at this point if PG site would include Rosecroft or not) - PG site could only open by 2017 July 1, 2016 or three years 30 months after Baltimore opens - If a majority of PG voters reject the referendum question, then the state VLT location commission could not award a license in PG. - Tax rate would go down from 67 percent to 60 percent when PG opens - Ocean Downs would be able to have more entertainment options Will post more details as we know them.