What to know about Happy Valley Casino as Blue-White weekend trial run nears
Happy Valley Casino is set to open its doors for the first time this week for two legally mandated “test days.” It took years of effort, delays and shifting goals to get to this point.
The casino was the brainchild of Penn State alum Ira Lubert, who won a bid to operate a so-called mini casino in 2021. The casino quickly won the support of top Centre County lawmakers, and local officials didn’t raise any issues. The casino, which would take over the Nittany Mall’s abandoned Macy’s, appeared on track to begin construction within the year.
But a legal quagmire ensued. A competing bidder to Lubert sued the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, arguing it inappropriately granted Lubert the casino license. Lubert’s business partner, Bally’s Corporation, did not have the required casino interests in Pennsylvania, the competing bidder argued. Around the same time, a small group of anti-casino locals was becoming more organized, though it had no bearing on the lawsuit.
The case dragged on for three years before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the state, and by extension, Lubert. It took another year for construction to begin.
College Township, where the casino is located, commissioned an impact study after construction began in 2025. It projected minimal social impacts beyond a slight uptick in crimes like drunk driving, fraud and disorderly conduct, but cautioned there was little data to go off of.
The study also projected the casino would generate about $1.2 million in gaming tax revenue for both the county and township in its first year, with about $13.7 million generated in a decade. The casino’s developers projected more. Neither the township or county has said how they’d like to spend the money, and they are bearish on its revenue potential in year one.
More details were revealed as the casino crawled toward completion. Last year, it announced it would offer blackjack, roulette, craps, mini baccarat, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Spanish 21, three-card poker, face up pai gow poker, Mississippi stud and pai gow poker. Six hundred slot machines were planned, along with two restaurants. The casino said in late March 90 people graduated from dealer school.
But as the casino’s opening drew nearer, some earlier promises were abandoned. Initially advertised as a 24/7 operation, the casino’s most recently publicized hours are 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. An ambitious exterior design overhaul didn’t pan out — the only significant change from the Macy’s facade is the removal of trees.
But the casino nonetheless offered a glimmer of hope for businesses in the struggling mall. One, a salon, recently told the Centre Daily Times it set up shop in the mall this year in part because of the casino.
Casino officials said an opening date would be announced after its two test days, on Friday and Saturday, are completed. A media tour event is scheduled for Thursday.
