Westmoreland County and Live! Casino Pittsburgh continue to prove they are a match for one another.
This weekend’s Live! in the Community Block Party is the latest example of Pennsylvania casinos making a difference on the home front. The three-day event kicks off on Friday, Sept. 29, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 1, in the casino parking lot at Westmoreland Mall.
General admission is free for all ages, featuring a fireworks show on Friday night and a Pittsburgh Steelers watch party at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Other activities and attractions include:
- Live music
- Food trucks and a beer garden
- Carnival games and rides
- Children’s activities
- Local art vendors
Live! Pittsburgh Pennsylvania casino makes a difference in the community
Live! Casino Pittsburgh has been active in the community since it opened in November 2020 as a Category 4 mini-casino. The location isn’t among those in the state that also offer Pennsylvania online casinos. However, its sister property in Philadelphia offers several apps in the state. These include Betway Casino PA, as well as PlayLive Casino PA.
From a brick-and-mortar perspective, though, this weekend’s block party helps feature and support local businesses, but it’s only one part of the Live! in the Community campaign.
It further immerses casino employees into the community, promoting volunteer work, sponsorships and local events. According to casino executive vice president and general manager, Sean Sullivan, all upper management positions must be members of at least two nonprofit organizations.
The campaign also facilitates donations to charities and investments into local women- and minority-owned businesses and organizations.
“When we come to a community, we want to be partners,” said Sullivan. “We want to be job creators. We want to be tax creators. We want to lift the communities that we’re in.”
Since opening, Live! Casino Pittsburgh has added over $500 million to the state economy through licensing fees, job opportunities and tax contributions. Over $21 million has gone to local causes in Hempfield Township and nearby counties, including help to fund dozens of Westmoreland County improvement projects.
Live! Casino Pittsburgh’s sister property in Philadelphia has experienced a similar investment. The properties’ owners, The Cordish Companies, have donated more than $2.3 million locally since it opened in February 2021.
Live! PA casinos hold their own in retail and online revenue
Live! Casino Pittsburgh was the top revenue producer among Pennsylvania mini-casinos this last fiscal year, generating $99.2 million in slot revenue and another $15.7 million in table games.
The property boasts 750 slot machines and 40 table games, noticeably smaller than the state’s full-scale stand-alone casinos. Nonetheless, its impact on the industry and local community have been significant.
And the same goes for online casinos under the Live! brand.
The Live! Philadelphia licensee sits firmly in seventh for year-to-date revenue, accounting for more than $33 million, with nearly $12.2 million in taxes. Around $3.6 million of that ($1.3 million in taxes) came in August, also good for seventh out of the state’s online casino providers.
Those numbers may not compete with the top operators in the market, but they are nothing to be ashamed of, either.
