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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; James Costello, executive director of the Keystone State Games, announced Thursday that the games will be held in Luzerne County through 2021.</p><p>The games, which began Thursday throughout Luzerne County, run this weekend and next weekend &#8212; July 25-29, and the following weekend of Aug. 1-4.</p><p>Costello said he and the KSG Board of Directors decided to extend the games in Luzerne County for two more years.</p><p>&#8220;We decided to hold the Keystone State Games in Luzerne County for two more years after this year,&#8221; Costello said. &#8220;We are very excited to have reached this agreement on an extension. We usually go through a full-bid process, but we felt we had a great first year in Luzerne County and we wanted to build on it.&#8221;</p><p>Costello said the decision was special to him because he grew up in Wilkes-Barre</p><p>Costello&#8217;s father, Owen J. Costello, was the first executive director of the Keystone State Games from the beginning in 1981 until he passed away in 2015.</p><p>Costello said 3,000 to 3,500 athletes are expected to participate this year. He said this is a non-senior games year, noting that when the seniors compete, another 1,200 to 1,500 participants register for the games.</p><p>The 38th annual Keystone State Games Festival of Sports will be hosted throughout Luzerne County. The Keystone State Games, modeled after the Olympic Games, are Pennsylvania&#8217;s largest annually held multi-sport competitions providing the state&#8217;s amateur athletes an opportunity to compete against athletes from throughout the Commonwealth and beyond and promotes all of the positive aspects of amateur sports.</p><p>Costello said since its inception in 1981, Keystone State Games Inc. has attracted more than 500,000 participants of various age groups into a variety of sporting events.</p><p>&#8220;I couldn&#8217;t be happier,&#8221; Costello said. &#8220;This is my hometown. I love to see these things going on in our community. Northeastern Pennsylvania is an amazing place.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">James Costello, executive director of the Keystone State Games. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_TTL021618KeystoneGames3-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>James Costello, executive director of the Keystone State Games. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Costello: Keystone Games to be in Luzerne County through 2021