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Business and Basis of Presentation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Business and Basis of Presentation  
Business and Basis of Presentation

1.     Business and Basis of Presentation

        Penn National Gaming, Inc. ("Penn") and together with its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") is a diversified, multi-jurisdictional owner and manager of gaming and pari-mutuel properties. Penn is the successor to several businesses that have operated as Penn National Race Course since 1972. Penn was incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1982 as PNRC Corp. and adopted its current name in 1994, when the Company became a publicly traded company. In 1997, the Company began its transition from a pari-mutuel company to a diversified gaming company with the acquisition of the Charles Town property and the introduction of video lottery terminals in West Virginia. Since 1997, the Company has continued to expand its gaming operations through strategic acquisitions, greenfield projects, and property expansions. The Company, along with its joint venture partner, opened Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway on February 3, 2012. In Ohio, the Company opened four new gaming properties over the last three years, including: Hollywood Casino Toledo on May 29, 2012, Hollywood Casino Columbus on October 8, 2012, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway on August 28, 2014, and Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course on September 17, 2014. In addition, on November 2, 2012, the Company acquired Harrah's St. Louis, which the Company subsequently rebranded as Hollywood Casino St. Louis.

        As of December 31, 2014, the Company owned, managed, or had ownership interests in twenty-six facilities in the following seventeen jurisdictions: Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. On July 30, 2014, the Company closed its facility in Sioux City, Iowa. In addition, Beulah Park and Raceway Park in Ohio were closed as the racetracks were relocated to Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course and Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, respectively, both of which opened in the third quarter of 2014.

        The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses for the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. For purposes of comparability, certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.