The Cordish Companies (“Cordish”) and Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN: Nasdaq) (“Penn National”) announced today five marquee dining establishments to be located at Live! Hotel & Casino New York – Bobby Flay Steak, Bobby’s Burger Palace, The Cheesecake Factory, Smorgasburg, and Fornino. In addition, the companies announced a Local Business Partnership Program to promote businesses and organizations in the Hudson Valley-Catskills Region.

David Cordish, Chairman and CEO of The Cordish Companies, said: “The Live! Hotel & Casino New York will provide customers with a unique opportunity to experience some of the top names in dining,” including:

Bobby Flay

Live! Hotel & Casino New York will feature two Bobby Flay eateries – Bobby Flay Steak and Bobby’s Burger Palace. Bobby Flay Steak will be a high-end, chic restaurant featuring a menu that honors the traditions of classic steakhouse fare and incorporates New York’s fresh produce. Bobby’s Burger Palace will feature an array of burgers inspired by Chef Flay’s extensive travels throughout America.

Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg will bring its expertise of collaborating with hundreds of local vendors to create a farm-to-table dining experience at Live! Hotel & Casino New York, highlighting the best products from the region and throughout the state. Founded by Eric Demby and Jonathan Butler, it has been called ‘The Woodstock of Eating’ by the New York Times.

The Cheesecake Factory

With more the 150 locations across America, The Cheesecake Factory will bring its menu of more than 200 scratch-made selections and 50 legendary cheesecakes and specialty desserts to the Catskills/Hudson Valley region.

Fornino

Dubbed the ‘First Chef of Brooklyn’ by the New York Times, Michael Ayoub will bring his Neapolitan style of grilled pizza making to Live! Hotel & Casino New York.

“In addition, with our Local Business Partnership Program, we’re proud to generate new opportunities for businesses across the Hudson Valley-Catskills Region,” said Cordish. The program includes customized cross-marketing plans, patron discount programs, advertising partnerships, and redemption of casino “loyalty points” for each member. To date, nineteen businesses and organizations have signed up as partners from across the region, and over 100 more have been contacted to join. Businesses and organizations interested in becoming partners can learn more by visiting www.livehotelcasinony.com/local-partners.

“Once our customers experience the great things this region has to offer, they will come back time and again,” said Cordish. “We have hit the ground running to ensure that each and every interested business or organization has the opportunity to join us in making that happen.”

The $750 million Live! Hotel & Casino New York will include an upscale boutique hotel with over 300 rooms and luxury suites; a destination spa and fitness center; over 3,000 slot machines; more than 250 live table games, including poker; several marquee restaurants including Bobby Flay Steak, Smorgasburg, The Cheesecake Factory, Fornino, and Bobby’s Burger Palace; as well as a live entertainment venue and a spacious conference center. The facility will serve as a regional economic engine, creating more than 4,000 permanent local jobs and nearly 3,000 construction jobs.

Live! Hotel & Casino New York will be owned and managed by a 50/50 joint venture between The Cordish Companies and Penn National Gaming who boast two of the strongest balance sheets in the industry and a proven track record in operating regional gaming facilities in highly competitive environments. The joint venture companies have built more ground up casino facilities over the past ten years than any other company in the country.

Live! Hotel & Casino New York renderings, additional information about the project, and Facebook and Twitter sign up for updates can be accessed at www.livehotelcasinony.com.

About the Cordish Companies

The Cordish Companies' origins date back to 1910 and encompass four generations of privately held, family ownership. During the past ten decades, The Cordish Companies has grown into one of the largest and most successful operators of entertainment districts and concepts in the United States. Within its entertainment portfolio, The Cordish Companies owns and manages several Live! entertainment districts throughout the United States which welcome over 50 million visitors every year and are the most visited destinations in their respective regions. The Cordish Companies has received international acclaim for its hospitality developments. This division focuses on developing and operating best-in-class, high-profile gaming and lodging destinations. The Cordish Companies is proud to have developed several of the most successful gaming and resort destinations in the world including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casinos in Hollywood and Tampa, Florida; Maryland Live! Casino in Hanover, MD and Charleston Place in Charleston, SC.

About Penn National Gaming

Penn National Gaming, through its subsidiaries, owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. Penn National Gaming presently operates twenty-seven facilities in eighteen jurisdictions, including Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Ontario. In aggregate, Penn National Gaming's operated facilities feature approximately 31,000 gaming machines, 800 table games and 2,900 hotel rooms.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “expects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “should” or “anticipates” or the negative or other variation of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. Such forward looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Penn National Gaming and its subsidiaries, including risks related to the ability to obtain local support and ultimately regulatory approval for the project in New York; and accordingly, any forward looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors described in Penn National Gaming’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All subsequent written and oral forward looking statements attributable to Penn National Gaming or persons acting on Penn National Gaming’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements included herein. Penn National Gaming undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements contained or incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur.

For more information, please visit: www.livehotelcasinony.com.