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The news broke last week, but the announcement became official earlier this afternoon: The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has awarded a Category 2 license to Stadium Casino, LLP which will permit the operation of a casino at 900 Packer Ave. Live! Hotel and Casino is a joint venture between Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, LP, which currently operates the Parx Casino in Bucks County, and the Cordish Companies, which operates Xfinity LIVE! at the sports complex.
The award, made unanimously by the seven-member board at a public meeting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, is the fifth and last award of a Category 2 stand-alone casino license permitted under the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, which further stipulated that this facility must be located in Philadelphia. The other applicants under consideration but not selected were: PHL Local Gaming LLC’s Casino Revolution, Front Street and Packer Avenue, Market 8 Casino from Market East Associates and The Provence from Tower Entertainment — oth of which were targeted for Center City.
“This was a challenging decision involving four substantial proposals, but in the end we all felt that the Stadium Casino project best fit the intent of the Gaming Act and was best overall for Pennsylvania,” Board Chairman William H. Ryan, Jr. said in a press release.
Prior to commencing operations, a $50 million license fee must be paid to the Commonwealth by Stadium Casino, LLP for a slot machine license along with an additional $24.75 million fee for a Table Games certification.
But local residents are not so supportive of the news as some 500 people filled Stella Maris last week in a rally against the project.
A full story by Staff Writer Bill Chenevert will appear in Thursday’s edition of the South Philly Review.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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