Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course history

The following year, however, the track added 100 more dates, establishing a year-round racing calendar. It opened for its first day of racing on August 30, 1972, drawing a crowd of more than 10,500 spectators.

In 1978, Penn National expanded, opening the first turf course in Pennsylvania, a -mile oval located next to the company's existing track.

In 1982, it began offering customers a new way to wager--via phone.

In 1983, Penn found another way to reach out to its customers.

The company opened its first OTW in May 1992 in Reading, a southeastern Pennsylvania city approximately 35 miles from Penn National Race Course.

Penn National went public in June 1994, trading on the NASDAQ exchange.

Two such facilities were already established--in Allentown and Erie--when the acquisition was finalized on November 27, 1996.

A fifth facility, located in Williamsport, was in the works and scheduled to open in early 1997.

Two new OTW's opened in March 1998, bringing the company's total to nine.

In April 1999, Penn formed still another strategic alliance.

The company acquired its first standalone casino properties in 2000, Casino Magic Bay St Louis and Boomtown Biloxi, from Pinnacle Entertainment.

By 2001, Penn National Gaming had made Fortune magazine’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies list at 58th.

Hollywood Casino Corporation in 2003 for $328 million, plus $360 million in assumed debt.

In 2004, Penn National acquired Argosy Gaming Company for $1.4 billion, plus $791 million in assumed debt.

Then came business disappointments beginning in 2006, the subject of Penn National History: Part 2.

A decade later, the track became Philadelphia Park, then was renamed Parx Racing and Casino in 2010.

The low, of course, came in mid-March 2020 in the face of COVID-19 restrictions, with closures, furloughs, forced real estate sales, and two emergency stock offerings for a company hemorrhaging cash in early spring as the virus took hold.