, ,

The developer pitching a slots casino for Bethlehem was awarded a license this morning by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The board also approved a license for Mt. Airy #1 LLC, denying Tropicana Pennsylvania LLC’s plan for an Allentown casino.

Sands BethWorks Gaming LLC proposes a $610 million casino, hotel, mall and entertainment complex on South Side Bethlehem that would employ 1,825 people. The developer says it would open the complex near the Minsi Trail Bridge by July 2008, with 3,000 slots at first and another 2,000 installed within six months.

Tropicana Pennsylvania LLC proposed a $352 million initial phase with similar amenities, minus the mall, in eastern Allentown employing 1,300. The casino with 3,000 slot machines was planned off American Parkway. (pennlive.com)

Online Casinos are shutting, but land based ones? Nah, let’s build more…

Moments after the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board announced which casino developer hopefuls would receive slots licenses, board member Jeffrey W. Coy grabbed the attention of Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. “Make sure they do a good job,” Coy told him. “Make us proud.” Exactly, just like Bush when he signed the UIGEA..