PITTSBURGH -- Wednesday afternoon, the state Supreme Court ruled that Don Barden will keep his slots license for PIT-G Gaming and be able to build a casino on the North Shore.

The two losing bidders filed an appeal.

They were the Isle of Capri and Forest City Enterprises.

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Statement from Don Barden Regarding Pa. Supreme Court Decision on Slots Casino Appeals:

"I feel both overjoyed and vindicated by the Supreme Court's decision. While it's taken a little longer to get to this point than we had anticipated, we're grateful to the court for moving with such urgency and helping to clear the way for Pittsburgh's first casino. I'm also very grateful to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for their vigorous defense of their decision and for their support of our project.

Now, we look forward to getting underway in earnest and will soon break ground at the Majestic Star Casino's future home on the North Shore. At the same time, I fully recognize that there are some concerns still outstanding with the Steelers and Pirates, but we are committed to working through these issues as good neighbors should and maintaining the same spirit of community partnership that we began this process with nearly two years ago.

We will also continue our ongoing dialogue with the Gaming Implementation Task Force and various stakeholders in the community and understand that collaboration and understanding are essential to the casino's long-term success. The Majestic Star is going to be an important community partner to Pittsburgh for many, many years to come, and we look forward to being a catalyst of growth and opportunity throughout this region."