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Local Share Gaming Revenues Fund 14 Local Projects

More than $6 million in gaming fund revenues, the first from Mount Airy Resort and Casino, will fund significant education, health care, infrastructure and quality of life projects throughout Monroe County, Department of Community and Economic Development acting Secretary George Cornelius announced Wednesday.

East Stroudsburg University’s Research and Technology Park, Northampton Community College’s planned Monroe County campus building and expansion project, and the Pocono Mountains Regional Airport’s planned runway expansion will each receive $1 million grants.

In all, 14 Monroe County projects will share $6.15 million generated by the Pennsylvania Horse Race and Gaming Development Act, or Act 71, which set up a “local share assessment account” and required DCED to distribute money that is generated by licensed gaming facilities to support community and economic development projects and mitigate the impact of gaming activities.

“The projects funded by these grants will improve education, local health services, housing, and recreation,” said Monroe County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA) Executive Director Chuck Leonard. “Our community will also see some key infrastructure improvements.”

The $6.15 million distribution represents only 50 percent of Mt. Airy’s contribution to the local share account. Though Monroe County had to share gaming fund revenues equally with neighboring counties, Leonard downplayed any inequity in the funding formula.

“It would be nice if we got the entire $12.3 million, but we should focus on the fact that the $6 million in grant funding announced today is the first of an annual grant series,” says Leonard.

“As long as Mt. Airy Casino continues to thrive in Monroe County, our community can look forward to additional grants and improvements in the years to come.”

More information on the local share assessment account is available at NewPA.com or by calling 1-866-466-3972.


EDITOR
’S NOTE

Monroe County projects receiving grants from the Gaming Fund follow:

Economic Development

  • $1.05 million to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for the East Stroudsburg University Research and Technology Park.
  • $1.05 million to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for the Pocono Mountains Regional Airport
  • $1.05 million to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for the Northampton County Community College’s Monroe County campus

Community Improvement

  • $420,000 to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for Sherman Theatre
  • $167,000 to Tunkhannock & Tobyhanna Township to restore a stone building at the Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area Regional Park
  • $38,998 to Mount Pocono Borough for Veterans Park
  • $181,965 to Mount Pocono Borough for Deerfield Oak Street Park

Public Interest

  • $619,500 to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for the Skyline Heights Housing Development, a 42-unit general occupancy facility, just outside of East Stroudsburg in Smithfield Township. The project will feature 22 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom apts. Six units will be handicapped accessible.
  • $512,861 to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for the Women’s Resources of Monroe County
  • $160,487 to Monroe County Industrial Development Authority for Monroe County Family Health Center
  • $292,050 to Delaware Water Gap Borough for a municipal well
  • $298,606 to Coolbaugh Township for a new traffic light
  • $208,950 to Mount Pocono Borough for improvements to Route 611
  • $100,000 to Barrett Township for purchasing an ambulance

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