The Prairie Meadows horse track and casino could have a new general manager by early next month. Interim general manager Jack Bishop told the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission Thursday a five-member panel is searching for the new G-M.

He says they’ve had 39 people who’re interested, and the committee plans to interview nine of them. Bishop says they hope to hold some interviews on August 5th. Bishop says depending on how the interviews go, they could be ready to offer someone a contract for the job after the interviews. Bishop says Prairie Meadows is also getting close to finishing its expansion project.

Bishop says they’re on the second level of the casino expansion, and will have a ribbon cutting on August 8th. Bishop says the expansion will give them more room for table games. He says all the table games will be moved into the expansion area, and they’ll add 119 slot machines. The new general manager at Prairie Meadows will replace Bob Farinella who resigned after the track’s board did not extend his contract.