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Casino and Local Government to Lobby for Rail Service to Central PAThe construction of a casino at the Pocono Downs racetrack in Pennsylvania may speed up plans to bring passenger train service to the central Pennsylvania region.The proposed racetrack would take passengers from New York's Pennsylvania Station, located in New York City, through central New York and New Jersey to the casino. Two entertainment- oriented companies, and one Indian tribe, are currently in the running for a license to run a slots machine- only casino in the Poconos area: the Mohegan Indians, Mount Airy Lodge, and Pocono Manor all seek to open a casino. All of the competitors in the casino bid have said that they would support efforts to lobby for rail service from New York. Mount Airy Lodge spokesman Kevin Feely said, ''there's no question we'd support it. … It would be good for the entire region. The more people you bring, the better. Clearly we'd benefit.'' Mount Airy Lodge has submitted a $350 million casino proposal. Its proposed casino site is only a mile from a planned train station in Mount Pocono. The proposed Pocono Manor casino, which would cost an estimated $1.2 billion to develop, would be directly in the path of the railroad. Pocono Manor would build its own station, said officials. Ernie Preate, the future chairman of the Pennsylvania Alliance, a regional economic development organization, said that the Mohegan Indians have been particularly enthusiastic about the proposed rail service. The Mohegan tribe has submitted a plan to build a $200 million casino. Preate said that the Mohegan casino proponents have shown a "terrific interest" in the rail project: ''They know there is an obvious need to open these casinos to lucrative markets in and around New York City…They would dearly love to have New York residents able to get to these facilities." Preate is counting on whichever casino company that wins that bid to lobby elected officials to approve the railroad plan. ''We certainly would want the casinos to get involved once the licenses are granted,'' Preate said. ''We want to make it clear to all the elected officials that this is a priority for us.'' ''There will be a tremendous amount of pressure from these folks. They'll be employing thousands of people with jobs and economic development. You just don't blow them off,'' he added. There has been rail service from New York City's Pennsylvania Station to the Poconos in the past. However, the service was shut down in 1970 due to a lack of customers. In recent years, newfound interest in reopening the rail line has been spurred by a population boom in Monroe County, and a huge increase in passengers on Interstate 80 in New Jersey.
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