Philly Considers Opening Second Casino

Atlantic City may be facing some new competition, as Philadelphia contemplates opening another casino. On November 18, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board will vote on whether the City of Brotherly Love will get a second casino. The board will also decide which of the proposed projects will ultimately be chosen.

According to Philadelphia Magazine, four applicants are being considered for a license that would “allow up to 5,000 slot machines and 250 table games on site.” The applicants are Tower Entertainment, LLC (The Provence); Market East Associates, LP (Market 8 Casino; PHL Local Gaming, LLC (Casino Revolution); and Stadium Casino, LLC (Live! Hotel and Casino).

But the announcement is not without opposition. Employees of SugarHouse, Philadelphia’s first casino, say the decline of Atlantic City, coupled with a backslide of slots in Pennsylvania, is a sign gambling in the area has plateued. Wendy Hamilton, general manager of SugarHouse, told NBC 10 that a new casino could be disastrous for both establishments. "If this second license is issued, it’s bad for everybody. It’s bad for us, it’s bad for our vendors, it’s bad for our employees and it’s bad for most of our competitors," she said.

The November 18 meeting will be open to the public, as well as live streamed from www.gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov.

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