Cordish confirms bid for Laurel racetrack

A representative of the Cordish Cos. confirmed Monday that the developer is among a half-dozen suitors for Laurel Park racetrack but said it has "no intention" of trying to move its planned slots casino from Arundel Mills mall to the track.

Maryland officials have awarded Cordish a license to put slots at the mall pending zoning approval from the Anne Arundel County Council. The council, which has been paralyzed for months by the issue, plans to debate zoning legislation again next Monday.

Friday was the deadline for an early round of bidding for Laurel and other Maryland properties of Magna Entertainment Corp., which is in bankruptcy proceedings.

"We did submit a bid as we stated we would," Cordish Vice President Jonathan Cordish said in an e-mail. "We have no intention of moving slots from Arundel Mills, as our site maximizes revenues for the state, county, horse racing industry and ourselves, and has the final approval for licensure by the state."

"Any phantom 'alternative' to the Mills site would take years longer and a complete re-start of the entire (slots) [bidding] process, whereas we are ready to start this coming Tuesday," Cordish said.

Laurel was widely considered the leading site for an Anne Arundel County slots license until February, when the current track owners failed to submit a required $28.5 million licensing fee with its application to a state commission.