Presque Isle Downs & Casino

Live thorughbred racing returned to Presque Isle Downs in Erie, PA this month. The inaugural race took place September 1st on a new and unique one-mile oval track. Presque Isle is the first Pennsylvania track to use a synthetic racing surface known as Tapeta. Developed by Trainer Michael Dickinson, Tapeta consists of sand with the addition of rubber and fibers coated with wax. Dickinson says the new synthetic surface will reduce injuries to horses and jockeys and is impervious to weather. Tapeta has held up well in desert conditions at 120 degrees and in the cold at minus 3 degrees. Tapeta (Latin for carpet) has a fluffy look and it appears the horses are more comfortable with the surface. Racing aficionados believe synthetic surfaces will revolutionize horse racing. Many of California's tracks have already been surfaced with synthetic materials. This year's abbreviated racing season at Presque Downs is scheduled for just 25 days this month. Racing will resume next May and will run for 5 months through September.

The casino at Presque Isle is one of the five new "slots parlors" to open this year at race tracks in Pennsylvania. Presque Isle Casino has 2,000 gaming machines and three restaurants. But the casino does not have the wide variety and mix of slot and video poker machines generally found at casinos of a similar size.

Presque Isle Casino is open every day, 9am to 4am Sunday through Thursday and 9am to 6am Friday and Saturday. RVs are welcome to dry camp in the lower parking lot, but overnight stays are limited to one night. Shuttle service is available continuously.