Centaur Inc. this week reaffirmed its interest in Valley View Downs and Lawrence County.

However, a search for new financial partners could delay the awarding of a slots license to the Indiana-based gaming business.

Richard McGarvey, a Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board spokesman, yesterday said continued investigation of Centaur’s license application will be on hold until the new financial plan is presented for review.

’Centaur is still the gaming license applicant,’ he said. ’They have not pulled out. They are still interested in continuing the process.’

On Sept. 5, 2007, Centaur received the state’s final harness track license through the Pennsylvania State Harness Racing Commission. The following month, Centaur applied for a gaming license to operate 3,000 slot machines.

The gaming board investigators recently said they are ’just about’ completed with the investigation of Centaur’s principals.

In light of the tight financial markets, Centaur may be looking to take on new partners as it seeks funds to move forward on the $455 million racetrack and casino planned for Mahoning Township.

’If they take on new partners, who have more than 1 percent interest of the project, the gaming board, by law, will have to investigate the new partners.’

McGarvey said he would not speculate how long that might take.

’It would depend on what the financial package looks like,’ he explained. ’If there are major changes to the organization (of Centaur) it will take longer than a minor change or if their new partner is someone who has already been investigated by the board. It is hard to say what will happen until they come to the board.

’They had been coming down the stretch,’ he said. ’Until the financing difficulties, we were getting ready to schedule a suitability hearing. That is the next-to-the-last step before getting the license.’

A suitability hearing, he said, can not be scheduled now until Centaur’s partners and funding are known.

A search for new financing could delay the licensing process unless the new partner has already been investigated.

By example, McGarvey pointed out that Neil Bluhm, who partnered with financially strapped Don Barden on the Pittsburgh casino project, already had been investigated by the commission and the transaction was smooth.

He noted Centaur still holds the harness track license.