Washington County Rakes in $9.2M for LSA Program from Gambling

Pennsylvania’s Washington County is expected to receive some $9.2 million in gaming funds for economic development and community projects. According to a report from Observer-Reporter, a news outlet headquartered in the county, this would be the largest share of local share account casino gambling revenue Washington has received in 14 years.

The Department of Community and Economic Development informed Washington officials about the allocation on Tuesday. The money will fund a variety of municipal and local projects, in line with the annual LSA program.

As mentioned, this is the most money the county has received for its LSA program since 2010 when it was provided $9.7 million. After that, Washington County received between $6 and $8 million a year for almost a decade and a half.

The LSA money Washington will receive is a portion of gambling money from Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in North Strabane. Since the gambling property was able to generate higher revenue this year, the LSA program will also receive benefits. According to local leaders, the extra money will help the country fund more projects this year.

The LSA Program Will Support a Variety of Community Projects

Bob Griffin, executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County, commented on the matter, explaining that the larger LSA sum reflects an increase in gambling revenue. As a leader of the body that oversees the distribution of LSA funds, Griffin added that he is excited to provide funding to extra projects this year but reminded people that donations must be met with matching sums from the applicant.

Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman was similarly enthusiastic about the money available for projects as part of the LSA program. He called the program a blessing for the local economic development and communities, saying that the county will now be able to provide money to organizations and communities that wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford them.

According to the Observer-Reporter, a full list of the applicants for LSA funding should be released later today. The projects are distributed into several categories, including community improvement, economic development, job training and public interest.

The LSA Committee will hold hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday when it will review the applications. Following that, the body will submit a recommendation to the county commissioners for final approval.

The Redevelopment Authority of Washington County will submit its single application for the projects to the DCED by March 31.