Parx Casino Shippensburg Hosts Testing Days Ahead Of Grand Opening

Written By Corey Sharp on January 18, 2023 - Last Updated on January 24, 2023
Image via Shutterstock

Parx Casino Shippensburg is the newest casino to open its doors in Pennsylvania. A select number of visitors were invited for testing and sneak preview days during limited hours on Jan. 23 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Jan. 24 (2 p.m.-10 p.m.).

The grand opening for the new Parx Casino is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., pending PGCB approval. It was originally slated to open in November 2022 but had some construction delays.

The Parx mini-casino is one of a number of ways the gaming company plans to expand over the next several years.

With this latest addition, Pennsylvania now has 17 casinos, with four of them being Category 4 casinos. PA mini-casinos have to be a certain distance from the other 13 casinos to gain approval.

Parx Shippensburg new casino details

After years of petitions, applications and construction, Parx Shippensburg plans to open to the public on Feb. 3.

Parx is 73,000 square feet and is replacing a former Lowe’s in Shippensburg. The casino will have 500 slot machines, 48 electronic table games and a sportsbook.

Per Parx Casino’s website, food options at the casino will include:

“The menu will feature fresh stone baked pizzas made to order in an onsite, live fire oven as well as burgers, sandwiches and your favorite comfort food such as chicken parmigiana, spaghetti and meatballs, fish and chips and much more.”

The new location has a 100-seat restaurant with a full bar.

Parx won an auction for $8.1 million in 2018 to develop a Category 4 casino in Cumberland County. Parx filed a petition to offer table games in April 2019 and got approval in January 2022 – paying a $2.5 million fee in the process. Check here for more on the Parx Shippensburg licensing timeline.

First look at Parx Casino Shippensburg

Parx Casino in Shippensburg, PA is now open for testing days. During the Jan. 23 and 24 preview days, Parx will donate all revenue generated from slots to local charities to include Durff-Kuhn VFW Post 6168, Shippensburg Produce and Outreach, Senior Center Brand Creek Place and Celebrate Villa.

Here’s a look at some of the sights from the soft opening, courtesy of Parx.

Parx Casino Shippensburg now open.
Image c/o Parx Casino Shippensburg

We will continue to update with further information and photos from the new Parx mini-casino as they become available. 

Parx Casino Shippensburg FAQs

Is Parx Casino in Shippensburg open?

Not yet. The new Parx Casino grand opening is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 3, at 10 a.m.

Are drinks free at Parx Casino?

Gamblers on the casino floor can receive complimentary drinks.

Can you smoke at Parx Casino?

No, Parx Shippensburg is a smoke-free facility.

Mini-casinos are growing in PA

Parx Casino Shippensburg will be the fourth mini-casino to open since 2020. The other three are:

  • Live! Casino Pittsburgh
  • Hollywood Casino York
  • Hollywood Casino Morgantown

Mini-casinos, also known as Category 4 casinos, cannot be within 25 miles of a Category 1, 2 or 3 casino. Category 4 must have a minimum of 300 slot machines and up to 750, along with up to 30 table games.

One mini-casino is yet to open in State College. However, the casino license for a potential Bally’s Casino is going through legal battles over the eligibility of the initial bid and subsequent partnerships.

Photo by Shutterstock.com
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Corey Sharp

Corey Sharp is the Lead Writer at PlayPennsylvania bringing you comprehensive coverage of sports betting and gambling in Pennsylvania. Corey is a 4-for-4 Philly sports fan and previously worked as a writer and editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer and NBC Sports Philadelphia.

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