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Happy Valley Casino, located near Penn State’s campus in State College, is expected to open in April 2026.
Construction on the new property started in June and originally targeted a spring 2026 opening date. It looks as if the project is right on time.
Happy Valley Casino is going to be the 18th Pennsylvania casino in the state.
Casino to have 300 employees
It has taken several years for Happy Valley Casino to get an opening date in sight. It wasn’t until September 2024 when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a license the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) granted the casino in 2020.
The casino plans to open with 600 slot machines, with plans of increasing to 750 in a July filing to the PGCB. It also is eying 30 table games, with 16 of them being blackjack. Happy Valley Casino can add 10 more after one year of operation.
The casino expects to employ around 300 people. An impact study conducted by Convergence Strategy Group believes as many as 350 roles could to added.
The finish line is in sight for the property to finally open, CEO and GM Eric Pearson told WTAJ.
“The project’s been taking a long time to get to this point, and so we’re happy to be so close to actually opening the doors.”
Financial impact of new casino
A new casino in Centre Valley is expected to drive customers and revenue to the area.
According to the study, the property is estimated to attract 605,000 customers in the first year of operation, which could yield $66 million in gaming revenue. Modest growth is expected in the years after.
The casino is also hosting a restaurant. Non-gaming revenue could generate upwards of $6 million annually.
College Township alone could collect $1.2 million in slot taxes in the first year, rising gradually as revenue grows.
