Bryan Pettigrew named Vice President and General Manager of Texas Racing Operations for PENN Entertainment
(Houston, TX – May 23, 2023) – Horse racing industry veteran Bryan Pettigrew will be returning to Texas to lead PENN Entertainment’s horse racing operations at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston and at Retama Park in Selma. Pettigrew was previously head of marketing at Sam Houston Race Park in the mid-1990s before joining the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and later the Breeders’ Cup in Lexington, KY where he was the Chief Marketing Officer before departing in 2019.
A graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Communications, Pettigrew brings more than 25 years of experience in entertainment and sports management businesses, most recently as President of Kustom Entertainment, a division of Digital Ally in Kansas City, a diversified company that operated concerts/festivals as well as airplane charter and event ticketing businesses. He also oversaw tournament operations for the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship for three years. Pettigrew will officially join PENN Entertainment on June 5th, pending customary regulatory approvals.
“I was excited when I got the call to join the PENN Entertainment team and head up their Texas operations,” said Pettigrew. “When I was previously at Sam Houston, I was able to grow handle and attendance, while educating businesses and a newer fan base about the fun, excitement, and economic impact of horseracing in Texas. I’m hoping to bring many of those same principles back and work with our talented management teams to grow our racing businesses in the Lone Star state,” he added.
“I’m thrilled to have Bryan leading our Texas racing properties,” said Christopher McErlean, Vice President of Racing for PENN Entertainment. “Horse racing in Texas has plenty of challenges but Bryan has a strong understanding of the horse racing business with his previous high-profile marketing and sponsorship roles within the industry and has maintained strong connections to many Texas racing stakeholders. He also brings a wide array of experience from outside of racing in professional sports management and special events which should positively impact our properties,” McErlean added.
Dwight Berube, a key member of the Sam Houston executive team since the track’s opening in 1994, and Vice President/General Manager of the property and its subsidiaries since 2017, will be retiring in early June. “Dwight has been an invaluable member of the Sam Houston team and family since day one and has navigated the property through some extreme challenges. I want to thank him for all his efforts to keep Sam Houston as a leader in Texas horse racing over the years.” said McErlean.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jeff Morris
Vice President, Public Affairs
PENN Entertainment
484.793.5750 – jeff.morris@pennentertainment.com
