LAWRENCE CO. — A Philadelphia firm has been given a 78-day extension until May 31 to put together financing for a harness racetrack in Lawrence County thanks to ongoing talks with Penn National Gaming, which may operate or buy part of the track

Endeka Entertainment’s talks with Penn National were cited in Thursday’s decision by the Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission to give Endeka more time to finance the planned racetrack and casino in Mahoning Township near New Castle.

Penn National, based in Reading, operates racetracks across the country. Penn National has previously announced plans to transfer an Ohio racing license so it can build a track and a video lottery facility by 2014 in Youngstown, which is just across the border and about 20 miles away from Endeka’s planned Valley View Downs.