PA Readying Next Phase of Casino Rollout

...only four applicants have soughed up the near $100,000 to get in the running. .

According to the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, the Board is permitted to award up to two licenses to a well-established resort hotel in order to “establish an additional patron amenity.” To qualify, the resort must have no fewer than 275 guest rooms under common ownership at the time of application and already offer substantial year-round recreational guest amenities on its premises including but not limited to sports and recreational activities such as a golf course or driving range, tennis courts, swimming pools or a water park, spa, meeting and banquet facilities, entertainment facilities, restaurant facilities, downhill or cross-country skiing facilities, bowling lanes and movie theaters.

However, there is another catch that may be the culprit for the surprisingly few license applications. While other casinos in the state are able to permit anyone over 21 to enter the gaming floor, gaming rules are more restrictive for the two hotels. When open, only overnight guests, patrons of one or more amenities, authorized employees and other persons authorized by the Board, and individuals holding a valid seasonal or year-round membership which has been approved by the Board entitles the individual to use one or more of the amenities at the resort. That’s a mouthful, and something that’s bound to cause a lot of people to jump through hoops that want to be regular patrons.

The following well-established resorts submitted applications:
Bushkill Group, Inc. d/b/a Fernwood Hotel & Resort:  Fernwood Hotel & Resort and The Villas at Tree Tops and Fairway is a 440 acre hotel resort located on Route 209 in Bushkill, Monroe County.

Valley Forge Convention Center Partners, L.P.: The Valley Forge Convention Center has 488 hotel rooms on 850,000 square feet of property and is located at 1160 First Avenue in King of Prussia, Montgomery County.

Vacation Charters, Ltd., a/k/a the Resort at Split Rock: The Resort at Split Rock offers 557 rooms, which vary from standard hotel rooms to cottages and suites, is located at One Lake Drive in Lake Harmony, Carbon County.
CE-Palace, LP, a/k/a the Palace Inn: The Palace Inn has 278 guest rooms and is located at the intersection of William Penn Highway and Mosside Boulevard in Monroeville, Allegheny County.

Before the winners are selected, which is expected later this year, the Gaming Control Board will host a series of public input hearings within the municipality in which each applicant plans to locate the gaming facility. PGCB staff will also begin comprehensive background investigations on all applicants and on each individual involved in the application. The Board will then hold licensing hearings to determine the suitability of each applicant to hold a license.

For the resorts, some of which are struggling, it means a slice of the ever growing casino stake in the Keystone State.  Though only five of the total 14 casinos are in operation, they have generated more than $458,516,295.38 this year through July 1. The state took in $252,183,962.46 while the five operators took in $206,332,332.92 at 9,902 slot machines. Harrah’s Chester Downs has been the state’s biggest winner thus far. Through July 1 this year, Harrah’s has seen nearly $1.5 billion in wagers and cleared $57,853,041.67 in revenue while also kicking the state $70,709,273.15 in taxes from its 2,735 slot machines. The smallest casino is Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs with only 1,203 slot machines. However, it still made $86,065,324.50 this year through July 1. It paid the state $47,335,928.48 in taxes and took in $38,729,396.03 for itself.

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