The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland officially opened Thursday, Sept. 1 in Williamsburg, Ky., right off Exit 11 on Interstate 75, bringing historical horse racing gaming to southeastern Kentucky.
The venture is the sister project of Cumberland Run harness track, which is being built in nearby Corbin. The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland and Cumberland Run are co-owned by a group headed by Kentucky Downs' managing partners Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone with the Keeneland Association as a minority partner.
“This is another part of our commitment to Kentucky and to Kentucky horse racing, tourism and economic development,” Winchell said. “The Mint Gaming Hall has created jobs and will provide entertainment options, especially in the evening for visitors enjoying the area's outdoor beauty and recreation during the day. It also will provide strong purse funding for Cumberland Run, which is an important step in bringing back Kentucky's standardbred industry to national prominence.”
The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland opened with 450 HHR gaming terminals. It has the same local-time hours as the other “The Mint” properties in Franklin and Bowling Green: opening at 9 a.m. Eastern and closing the following morning at 5 a.m., with the exception of being open around-the-clock Thursday until 5 a.m. Monday.
The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland features the Midnight Bourbon Bar and has live entertainment. The property is offering a variety of local food options until The Backyard Race and Sports Grill opens in mid-September. When open, The Backyard will offer both restaurant and patio dining. Simulcast wagering on horse racing is available and sports are shown on a variety of large televisions.
“The Mint Gaming Hall Bowling Green has been wildly successful since opening late last year, and we used that as our blue print in Williamsburg,” said Henry Graffeo, general manager of The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland. “Our goal is to build a facility that serves a variety of interests, from gaming, to live music entertainment, to betting horses and watching sports. We think The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland is an ideal addition to southeastern Kentucky, complementing existing enterprises and providing another lure to the local area. We're thrilled with how the community has embraced us, even before we opened.”
Cumberland Run's 2022 harness dates will be held for the second year at The Red Mile in Lexington while the Corbin track is being built. The meet begins in late October.
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