Cordish Companies presented a plan for a $130-million casino with 750 slot machines and 30 table games at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield Township
While few details had previously been released about a proposed mini-casino in Pennsylvania’s Hempfield Township, representatives from Cordish Companies (and its affiliate Stadium Casinos LLC) presented earlier this week their plan for the facility during a hearing before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Cordish CFO Travis Lamb said during a 45-minute presentation before regulators that it was their main goal to create “a complete entertainment destination.”
Early this year, Cordish paid a $40-million license fee, seeking a gaming license to establish and operate a mini-casino in Hempfield Township. It then bought the two-level, 100,000-square-foot shuttered Bon-Ton store at Westmoreland Mall where it intends to open the facility. The company submitted its full license application with the Gaming Control Board this fall.
During this week’s presentation, the company said that the venue would include a gaming floor with 750 slot machines and around 30 table games as well as a 2,500-square-foot food and beverage area and a two-story bar. Mr. Lamb said that the bar would create a “wow effect” for visitors.
Cordish currently owns Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland, among multiple other properties. Representatives for the company said that the Westmoreland casino will very much resemble their Maryland property, but while in Maryland they had to build something from the ground, their Hempfield development will require retrofitting the casino into an existing establishment.
Economic Impact
Cordish plans to invest $131 million in the Westmoreland Mall casino. The company said during this week’s presentation that they expect the amount of $81 million to be released as a direct output to the state and local communities. An additional $7 million would be generated for the local community as a result from the benefits realized from the creation of new jobs during construction and once the facility is operational.
About 710 full-time construction jobs will be generated, according to early projections. The company said that it would use local contractors and will hire local people.
Cordish also expects a one-off economic impact of $123 million to Westmoreland County during development.
The company also holds a license for the development and operation of Philadelphia’s second casino. The Gaming Control Board approved last month a two-year extension of the deadline for the opening of that gambling venue. The casino is now expected to open doors by the end of 2020 in South Philly’s stadium district.
Public Concerns
While town and county officials have expressed their support for the construction of the Westmoreland Mall casino, there were residents of the region who voiced multiple concerns about the facility’s social impact during this week’s hearing.
Supervisor Dough Weimer was among the participants to point to issues that could arise from the establishment of the gambling venue. Increased crime was one such issue. Mr. Weimer stressed on the fact that Hempfield does not have its own police force and relies on state police.
He further pointed out that increased traffic in the area could lead to more vehicle accidents, which would put additional stress on volunteer fire departments and these are already short-staffed.
Responding to those requests, Cordish officials said that they would work closely with the mall security and police to ensure that visitors are provided with a safe environment.
There were attendees who said that a public referendum should be held before a final decision is made on whether Cordish should be allowed to open its mini-casino.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will hold one more hearing on the mattertw. This one will take place in Harrisburg early next year and the regulator will review the proposal and issue its decision.
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