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Delaware North completes acquisition, begins operating Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in West Virginia

Global hospitality company adds to its growing gaming portfolio with casino to complement its Wheeling Island, W.Va., operation

BUFFALO, N.Y., and NITRO, W.Va. (March 13, 2018) – Delaware North, a global hospitality company that also owns and operates a portfolio of regional casinos, has completed its acquisition of Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in Nitro, W.Va. Terms of the purchase from Hartman & Tyner are not being disclosed.

Delaware North began operating Mardi Gras on March 1 with a transition team from its corporate office and the company’s Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack onsite to assist the Mardi Gras management team. The collaborative transition had been planned since mid-January, when Delaware North’s purchase agreement was completed and announced.

Delaware North obtained approvals for the purchase in late February from the West Virginia Racing Commission and West Virginia Lottery Commission.

Located near the Cross Lanes exit of Interstate 64, 14 miles west of Charleston, W.V., Mardi Gras features more than 25 table games, a poker room, more than 850 slot machines, live greyhound racing, and off-track betting for both greyhound and horse racing. Mardi Gras also features several restaurants and a 150-room hotel.

“We are very proud to add such a highly regarded property as Mardi Gras Casino & Resort to our growing portfolio of U.S. gaming operations,” said Brian Hansberry, president of Delaware North’s gaming business. “Similar to our casino and hotel in Wheeling, Mardi Gras provides a complete gaming and entertainment experience with the convenience of an onsite hotel to draw from a larger region.

“On behalf of Delaware North and the Jacobs family, I want to thank Hartman & Tyner and the casino’s management team and dedicated staff for an effective transition. We also thank the West Virginia Lottery and Racing commissions for their review and approval of our comprehensive operational plans.”

Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack offers table games, a poker room, 1,100 slot machines, 151-room hotel, live racing, a fine-dining restaurant, buffet, showroom, meeting and banquet services and a gift shop. Delaware North also owns and operates gaming and entertainment venues in New York, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas and Arizona.

Hansberry noted Delaware North is a successful family-run company with a long history of operating exceptional gaming and entertainment venues, including in West Virginia with Wheeling Island.
“We’re excited about operating a second casino resort in the state and look forward to becoming part of the Nitro and greater Charleston community.”

Hansberry said Hartman & Tyner has taken great pride in Mardi Gras and has been a successful operator for many years, making the property an appealing acquisition.

“After the death of one of its principles, Hartman & Tyner has decided to focus on its core business of multifamily real estate in Michigan,” Hartman & Tyner said in a statement. “It has been a privilege and a pleasure to operate in this great community for over 25 years. Because it is a family-run company with values similar to ours, Hartman & Tyner is pleased that Delaware North has acquired Mardi Gras Casino & Resort. We are proud of our history in West Virginia and have every confidence that Delaware North will use its experience and resources to continue Mardi Gras as a premier gaming resort destination.”

Delaware North will retain the Mardi Gras Casino & Resort name and is retaining the current management team and current staff at this time. Delaware North is also retaining the players club and in the coming months will update the gaming product at Mardi Gras with some of the newest available gaming machines. Delaware North will also explore opportunities to enhance the marketing of the venue in the greater region, including some synergies with the Wheeling Island casino.

Over time, Delaware North will integrate its proven core business systems and processes into the operation, such as our highly regarded customer service program, GuestPath®, and environmental stewardship program, GreenPath®. In addition, as a global hospitality company, Delaware North’s culinary team will take steps to further enhance the very good restaurants and dining experience at Mardi Gras.

About Delaware North
Delaware North is one of the largest privately held hospitality and food service companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for more than 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our 55,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually. Delaware North operates in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurant and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries and has annual revenue of about $3 billion. Learn more about Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service, at www.DelawareNorth.com.