Cordish Companies, Baltimore-based parent company of the Live! Casino brand building gaming halls near Pittsburgh and adjacent to Philadelphia sports stadiums, plans to up the ante and try for a third Pennsylvania property.
Cordish plans a bid for a newly available mini-casino license
A company spokesperson told PlayPennsylvania exclusively that Cordish intends to make a bid on Sept. 2 for a mini-casino license that recently became available.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) announced on July 8 that it will auction off the license once held by Mount Airy Casino before the start of its Sept. 2 meeting. The opening bid is $7.5 million.
Mount Airy was denied a mini-casino license
The license is available because back in November, the PGCB denied the approval of the license that Mount Airy had paid $21.9 million for at the start of 2018. It gets only a 75% refund.
Mount Airy cited financing issues.
But a news site, the BeaverCountian.com, reported that the delay may have been attributable to a slow-going investigation of former Mount Airy owner Louis DeNaples. He allegedly attended several planning meetings related to the proposed site. DeNaples allegedly has mob ties and is banned from working with the casino.
Work continues on Western PA mini-casino
Plans for the bid come as the family-owned company preps for the fall opening of Live! Casino Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County at a rehabbed vacant mall site.
While work there had ceased for about two months at the height of the virus pandemic, the spokesperson said a fall opening remains “on track.”
First mini-casino
When it opens, it will be the very first mini-casino, or Category 4 casino, in the state.
In 2017, PA lawmakers passed legislation allowing for an expansion of up to 10 new mini-licenses in parts of the state not served by larger gambling facilities.
But that partially fizzled when no more offers came to the auction table after only five licenses were claimed.
Projects appear star-crossed
And meanwhile, four of the mini-casinos have proven a bit star-crossed.
Mount Airy’s site, proposed for Big Beaver, northwest of Pittsburgh, is dead and the license up for grabs.
Work on mini-casinos in York and Morgantown, with licenses held by Penn National Gaming, also halted during the pandemic and have not resumed. The company has not said when it will resume construction. But its CEO recently nixed bidding on the newly available license.
A Shippensburg site chosen by Parx Casino is unsuitable because of geological issues. Parx has not named a new site.
Only mini-casino in the pipeline
That leaves the western Live! Casino property as the only project moving along now.
The property includes 750 slots, approximately 30 live-action table games and a retail sportsbook.
The Cordish spokesperson said in a written statement Monday:
“Live! will be a first-class facility with the look, feel and amenities of a full-fledged casino, including the best in slots and table games, and exciting and unique food and entertainment amenities. It will showcase that a mini casino, done properly, can compare with any casino and have an atmosphere and energy that will let it compete with the best the state has to offer.”
Live! sponsoring dealer training school
To prepare for the opening, Live! is sponsoring the Westmoreland County Community College dealer school, scheduled to begin Aug. 17.
Graduates will staff the new $150 million Live! Casino. There will be 500 permanent new jobs for locals. More than 100 of those positions are for table games dealers.
The school is meant to train qualified applicants in the necessary skills needed in the gaming industry and provide the opportunity to interview for a dealer position at Live! Casino.
Westmoreland is hosting a series of information sessions for those interested in learning more. Dates, locations and sign-up information are available here.
There are no walk-ins. Information sessions are free, but the cost of the school and curriculum is $110 per student for blackjack training and an additional $75 for other games.
Work on Live! in Philly continues
Meanwhile, work is progressing on the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia project, according to the spokesperson. PlayPA recently got a good look at the progress made.
The projected opening was just before the end of the year. According to the spokesperson,
“Together, the two projects represent a nearly $1 billion commitment to the commonwealth and to bringing a new standard for casinos across the region. We are also excited for the opportunity to bid on the license that will be available in September, and the potential to invest further and create more jobs in the commonwealth.”
