Monday, February 7, 2011

Resort License Still Pending

Pennsylvania’s Gaming Control Board still hasn’t decided where to place a new resort casino.
It will take more than a majority vote for the Board to award a license to one of four casino applicants.
All four legislative appointees and at least one of the three board members picked by the governor will need to approve the winner.
Gaming analyst Steve Rittvo of the Innovation Group recently told lawmakers Pennsylvania’s eastern and western casino markets are saturated, and another category two gaming parlor would likely hurt revenue at existing casinos.
But he says another smaller resort casino likely wouldn’t take traffic away from already-operating establishments.

"I mean that’s why you put them in resort facilities. They were capturing tourists that were coming there. The gaming revenues that they would generate probably for the most part are not coming from existing casinos.

Sites in Gettysburg, at Nemacolin Woodlands in Fayette County, the Poconos and outside Harrisburg are vying for the license, which the Gaming Control Board isn’t required to award to anyone.
Board chair Greg Fajt says an announcement isn’t coming anytime soon.

"We have not yet reached a qualified majority on that. And when we do we’ll tee it up for a decision and make a decision."

The Board isn’t required to award the license to anyone, and there aren’t any time restrictions on the decision.

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