Penn National Names General Manager of Charles Town Races & Slots

WYOMISSING, Pennsylvania -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) today announced that Albert T. Britton has been named General Manager of the Company's Charles Town Races & Slots facility in Charles Town, West Virginia, subject to the satisfaction of regulatory approvals. Mr. Britton assumes the position from John V. Finamore, a Senior Vice President at Penn National Gaming, who has managed day-to-day operations at Charles Town on an interim basis since June.

In his new role, Mr. Britton will be responsible for all facets of the operation of Charles Town Races & Slots, the leading racing and gaming facility in West Virginia.

Mr. Britton brings 23 years of gaming industry experience to his new position at Charles Town. Prior to joining Penn National, Mr. Britton steadily ascended the ranks at Claridge Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ, to President and Chief Operating Officer, a position he held from 1996 through 2001. Since 1981, he served in various management positions at Claridge, including financial, operations, hotel management, marketing, administration and human resources. Most recently, while at Harrah's Showboat Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, Mr. Britton was responsible for property-level leadership, implementation and oversight of Harrah's corporate Customer Satisfaction Assurance initiative.

Kevin DeSanctis, President and Chief Operating Officer of Penn National Gaming, commented on the appointment: "Al Britton is a talented, proven industry executive who is well qualified to manage Penn National's Charles Town entertainment complex, one of the nation's most successful and fastest growing racing and gaming facilities. At Penn National, we consistently emphasize the attraction and development of premier management talent for our local properties. Given the importance of Charles Town to our operating results, and its strong ongoing growth potential, we are pleased to appoint an executive of Al's caliber to this position."

Mr. Britton will report to Mr. Finamore, who will continue to oversee Penn National's West Virginia and Pennsylvania operations.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Britton stated, "Charles Town Races & Slots is renowned in the gaming industry both for the quality of the facility and the dramatic growth it has achieved over the last seven years. I look forward to working with John Finamore and the excellent operating team at Charles Town to extend its long-term record of great racing and slots entertainment, as well as prudent, customer-driven expansion."

Since Penn National Gaming's acquisition of Charles Town in 1997, the company has invested over $200 million in new capital into the property, with another $25 million expansion project at the facility expected to be completed later this year.