Penn National Gaming Commits $1 Million to Penn State Children's Hospital; Gift to Be Used for Campus Expansion at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

HERSHEY, Pa. -- At a news conference at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center today, Penn National Gaming, Inc. of Wyomissing announced a commitment of $1 million to building the anticipated Penn State Children's Hospital. E[acute accent]In recognition of this contribution, a surgical waiting area will be named for Penn National Gaming. The waiting area will provide a central location for families to share and receive information regarding their child's surgery and will be designed to meet the special needs of families. E[acute accent]"We are honored to help turn the dream of a free-standing Children's Hospital for families across central Pennsylvania into a reality," said Peter M. Carlino, chairman and CEO of Penn National Gaming, and a member of the Medical Center's Board of Directors. "Our $1 million commitment to this effort is a further reflection of our long-standing belief in and support of the vital mission of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. This commitment also demonstrates Penn National's initiatives to support charities, civic groups and non-profit organizations in the communities in which it operates. As a Pennsylvania-based company and with the current development of Hollywood Casino at the Penn National Race Course, we are delighted to take an active role in supporting an important element of our community's infrastructure." E[acute accent]In addition to its commitment to the Children's Hospital, Penn National Gaming hosts the annual Penn National Charity Golf Classic in Hershey to benefit Crohn's and Colitis Research through the Carlino Fund for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Research at the Medical Center. Organized by employees of Penn National Gaming from both the Penn National Race Course in Grantville and the corporate headquarters in Wyomissing, this annual event has raised more than three-quarters of a million dollars to support the Medical Center's IBD research efforts. E[acute accent]"Penn National Gaming and Peter Carlino have been great benefactors of The Medical Center," said Harold L. Paz, M.D., senior vice president for health affairs, Penn State University; dean, College of Medicine; chief executive officer, Penn State Hershey Medical Center. "We are incredibly grateful for this generous contribution which will ultimately benefit the children and families of the region." E[acute accent]Penn National's commitment of $1 million to building the anticipated Penn State Children's Hospital is to be paid over a period of five years, and is contingent upon certain annual conditions.

E[acute accent]Penn National Gaming began in the early 1970s as a small, family-owned business that operated one of the Commonwealth's original thoroughbred racing facilities at Penn National Race Course in Grantville. Today, Penn National has grown into one of the nation's largest publicly traded gaming companies, with operations in 13 jurisdictions, including Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ontario.

E[acute accent]Penn State Children's Hospital, the only children's hospital in central Pennsylvania and the region's only pediatric trauma center, houses 120 beds and treats more than 125,000 patients each year. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) received the highest rating for its care in medical, surgical and trauma patients by the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Evaluations. This ranks the PICU among the top in the country. E[acute accent]Penn State Children's Hospital is the leader in several specialties including neonatal care, pediatric oncology, pediatric cardiology, pediatric surgery, and pediatric trauma. For more information on Penn State Children's Hospital, visit http://www.pennstatechildrens.com.