Parx On line casino in Bensalem, Pa., some 10 air miles north of Philadelphia, has pledged to construct an on-site lodge for the reason that property rebranded from Philadelphia Park On line casino and Racetrack in late 2009. Greater than a decade later, Pennsylvania’s top-grossing on line casino nonetheless doesn’t provide company lodging.
The Parx On line casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. The on line casino has revealed early plans for an on-site lodge. (Picture: Philly Voice)
Pennsylvania legalized slot machines in 2004 by its Race Horse Growth and Gaming Act. The Philadelphia Park Racetrack introduced slots to the property in late 2006 and rebranded to incorporate “on line casino” in its identify.
Greenwood Gaming and Leisure, the guardian firm of the racino, once more renamed the property in 2009, simply earlier than the state legalized desk video games. The gaming enlargement prompted Greenwood into investing $250 million to construct a brand new standalone on line casino adjoining to the racetrack. The on line casino opened as Parx late in that yr.
Parx has since turn into Pennsylvania’s richest on line casino. In 2021, the property generated gross gaming income (GGR) of greater than $617 million, together with $409.4 million from slots and $207.7 million from tables. Each verticals led the way in which among the many state’s 16 land-based casinos.
Lodge Transferring Ahead
In making use of for approval with the Pennsylvania Gaming Management Board in 2007 to construct and open Parx, Greenwood informed the state that its grasp plan included the eventual constructing of a lodge. This week, Parx On line casino lastly inched nearer to creating {that a} actuality.
The on line casino’s lodge growth plans have been accepted by the Bensalem Township Planning Fee, which is the primary regulatory step in being allowed to interrupt floor. Native officers say the on line casino should nonetheless bear the township’s land growth course of earlier than receiving the entire crucial development approvals.
The lodge blueprint acquired by the township features a 15-story construction sitting on roughly six acres of land. The lodge is being focused south of the horse racetrack, close to its longer chute.
The constructing plan, as reviewed by the Bucks County Courier Times, consists of almost 72,000 sq. ft of indoor area. Whereas the blueprint doesn’t specify the variety of guestrooms, the venture scope particulars a ballroom and occasion garden amongst its facilities.
Not like in lots of different industrial gaming states that require every on line casino to incorporate an on-site lodge, Pennsylvania’s gaming legal guidelines don’t include such a lodging requirement. Nonetheless, of the state’s 13 full-scale Class 2 casinos, solely two — Parx and Presque Isle Downs & On line casino — don’t provide on-location lodging.
Parx Growth
The corporate is moreover investing in a Class 4 satellite tv for pc on line casino location in Shippensburg Township.
Greenwood is spending about $65 million to remodel a former Lowe’s right into a on line casino with as much as 750 slot machines, 30 desk video games, and a sportsbook. Greenwood gained the state’s Class 4 public sale spherical in 2018 with a profitable bid of $8.111 million.
Parx On line casino Shippensburg is a comparatively low-cost funding among the many 5 accepted satellite tv for pc services in Pennsylvania. Penn Leisure — previously Penn Nationwide Gaming till this week — spent greater than $120 million on its Hollywood York mini-casino alone.
