Slot machines, restaurant and more: New details about proposed Centre County casino emerge
A $120 million mini-casino plans to open at the former Macy’s in the Nittany Mall, potentially creating dozens of jobs and generating significant revenue for College Township.
The casino plans to offer up to 750 slots machines, 30 table games, a sportsbook, a restaurant and entertainment facilities, according to a letter shared by College Township.
“This is something that College Township has been looking to achieve for some time and, obviously, anything that can bring activity to the Nittany Mall will be helpful since it’s obviously a shopping center that has come under tremendous challenges lately,” state Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, said Wednesday. “This is good news; this is what College Township wanted. Hopefully, as we’ve found in other parts of the state, these have been nice destinations for social activities and will hopefully add another amenity to the county.”
Penn State alum Ira Lubert and Bally’s Corporation submitted an application Tuesday to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, six months after Lubert won a $10 million bid for a mini-casino license.
It’s unclear how quickly the PGCB could rule on the application. Communications Director Doug Harbach declined to comment while the application is under review.
The agency is expected to host a minimum of two public hearings on the proposed location, one in College Township and one in Harrisburg.
Bally’s wrote in a January press release that construction was slated to begin in the first half of 2021, but the letter shared by College Township said construction was scheduled to begin in the second half of the year.
Regardless of the project’s start date, construction is expected to last about one year.
“I’m looking at this as a way of giving very good, family-sustaining jobs to central Pennsylvania and Centre County,” state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, said. “That is the reason why I am happy to see that this venue will be something that will not only save that portion of the commercial industry for College Township, but will also bring revenues to restaurants and small little stores that will be able to come back and have a steady flow of people.”
A Philadelphia-based consulting firm analyzed the potential impact of a casino in Happy Valley. The five-page report looked at traffic, water and sewer infrastructure, police and emergency services and tourism.
The consulting company concluded that the development of a casino would have a “negligible” impact on College Township.
The mall is a brief drive from three major roads — Interstates 80 and 99, along with U.S. Route 322 — and is already equipped for high levels of traffic.
College Township engineer Don Franson said the proposed casino would have a “minimal” impact on the surrounding roads, the consulting company wrote.
The proposed casino is not estimated to strain public safety either.
State College police are projected to respond to an additional six calls per month, an about 1.7% increase in non-traffic calls for the department.
Chief John Gardner does not anticipate the casino to have a “material impact” on the department, the company wrote.
The Alpha Fire Company and the Centre Region Fire Marshal’s Office are expected to field an additional two calls per month, an about 2.2% increase.
Centre Region Council of Governments Fire Director Steve Bair doesn’t anticipate “any major increase of existing fire calls or related expenses,” the company wrote.
But the service capacity of Centre LifeLink EMS “could be stretched” once Penn State fully brings back its more than 40,000 students and more than 100,000 pour into Beaver Stadium.
The emergency rescue service is projected to answer an additional two calls per month, an about 2.1% increase. That’s enough to have “some impact” on EMS services, the company wrote.
College Township Manager Adam Brumbaugh expressed no concerns Wednesday about the potential casino, instead saying it could be a boon to the mall and the region’s tourism, retail and hospitality industries.
“Should this process continue forward and all the approvals are received, this represents a good opportunity for the Nittany Mall and the Nittany Mall area to redevelop as many of us have hoped it would have the opportunity to do,” Brumbaugh said. “... From that standpoint, I think that would be a good thing.”
This story was originally published March 3, 2021 at 6:35 PM.