Operator News
US – Penn National gets green light for Hollywood Casino York in Pennsylvania
By Phil - 18 December 2019
Penn National has received final licensing approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board for Hollywood Casino York, which will be located at the York Galleria Mall in Springettsbury Township, Pennsylvania.
“We are very pleased with today’s unanimous approval by the PGCB and look forward to opening the doors at Hollywood Casino York as soon as possible,” said Timothy J. Wilmott, Chief Executive Officer for Penn National Gaming. “The property will be ideally located to draw customers from south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, while also protecting our existing market share at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.”
The development of Hollywood Casino York represents an overall investment of nearly $120m, inclusive of license fees for the property’s slot machines and table games. The approximately 80,000 square foot facility will feature 500 slot machines and 24 table games, with the ability to accommodate up to 750 slot machines and 40 table games. Hollywood Casino York will also offer a sports and race book, casual restaurant and bar, an entertainment lounge, and a coffee venue. The facility is expected to generate roughly 200 new permanent jobs and more than 250 construction jobs. Construction of Hollywood Casino York is expected to be completed in approximately 12 months.
Penn National was awarded the Commonwealth’s first and fifth Category 4 licenses on January 10th and April 4th, 2018, respectively. The Company previously received final licensing approval for Hollywood Casino Morgantown, which is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Category 4 gaming facilities are authorised by law to operate up to 750 slot machines and 40 table games, and tax revenue is dispersed at the state, county, and local level. Springettsbury Township will receive two per cent of gross tax revenue on slot machines and one per cent from table games.
“Hollywood Casino York will become an economic engine in Springettsbury Township and the greater community,” said Mr. Wilmott. “We have already met with local workforce development organisations to begin the process of identifying our future Team Members and creating approximately 200 new permanent jobs in York County.”
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board added: “The award concludes a process the Board began on January 12 2018 when Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association secured a 15-mile radius area in which it could locate a casino with a winning bid of $50,100,000 at the first Category 4 auction held by the Board. They subsequently filed an application with the Board to locate the facility in the York Galleria Mall.”
“The Board conducted an in-depth background investigation of the application along with the collection of public input from citizens, community groups and public officials at a hearing held in Springettsbury Township on 1 October 2018.”
A Category 4 Slot Machine License permits the entity to operate between 300 and 750 slot machines. The entity could also petition for permission to initially operate up to 30 table games for an additional fee of $2.5m with the capability of adding an additional 10 tables games after its first year of operation.
