Big Beaver, PA, it’s time to celebrate.
Earlier today, Mount Airy Casino Resort announced that the cartoonishly-named township will be the site of Mount Airy Pittsburgh, a Category 4 mini-casino.
“For over a decade, Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos has paved the way as one of the nation’s most dynamic, upscale destination casino resorts,” managing trustee and owner Lisa DeNaples said in the release. “Our thoughtful expansion into the Pittsburgh and tri-state area represents a huge milestone in our effort to do what we live and breathe every day: provide award-winning customer service and luxury amenities to more people.”
The news makes Mount Airy the second casino to announce the exact location of their mini casino. Stadium Casino LLC is the other, having announced this past month their plans to put their casino in a Westmoreland County mall.
Mount Airy’s satellite is the anti-mall casino
Whereas Stadium will integrate a casino into an existing mall, Mount Airy is starting with a clean slate. Here’s what we know the property will feature so far, based on Mount Airy’s press release:
- 750 slots and 30 table games
- High-limit area and sports bar
- The Friedmutter Group will design the property
- Property will create around 700 jobs
Based on the press release, it seems as though Mount Airy hopes to recreate the high-end experience they’ve popularized in the Poconos.
The Friedmutter Group is a world-renowned design firm. Their resume includes The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
According to the press release, the mini-casino is phase one of a two-step project. The second phase will include:
- A resort-hotel
- Convention center
- Fine dining
- Pool
- Spa
- Salon
The following quote from DeNaples summarizes what Mount Airy is hoping to do with their satellite:
“We envision the casino as just the start of building something truly special for the tri-state area. Imagine not just a casino, but a destination that raises industry-wide expectations and standards – serving as a phenomenal gathering space for celebrations and live entertainment and bringing upwards of 700 jobs to regional residents.”
The mini-casino construction should start by the end of this year and finish in late 2019.
Where we’re at with satellite casinos across the state
While Mount Airy and Stadium Casino have found luck with townships who want them, the same can’t be said for Penn National, who holds two mini-casino licenses.
They proposed putting a casino in a mall in York County; residents would have none of it during a public hearing about the possibility of having a casino in their midst.
Parx, the only other satellite licensee, also faced some pushback from residents in two separate townships in Cumberland County.
With Mount Airy and Stadium now on track to break ground on their new casinos, we should see an announcement of similar news from Parx and Penn National during the next month or two.