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Mini-casino planned for Westmoreland County

DERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A mini-casino is coming to a Westmoreland County community.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board auctioned off new mini-casino licenses Wednesday morning.

Philadelphia developer Stadium Casino LLC submitted a winning bid of $40 million and was given a license to build a mini-casino within a 15-mile radius of Derry Township, including Greensburg, as long as it's 35 miles or more away from the Meadows, Rivers or Lady Luck casinos.

"It's right on the county line, so this is going to be huge to bring Indiana County residents into Westmoreland," said Westmoreland County Commissioner Gina Cerilli. "We'll be the closest casino for Indiana County."

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The mini-casinos can have 750 slot machines and owners can pay another $2.5 million to operate 30 table games.

"This is very exciting news for Westmoreland County, in terms of economic development, support for our tourism industry and really for recreation opportunities for our residents," said county Commissioner Ted Kopas.

Derry Township supervisors say they'd fight to have it built there.

"We're going to sit down and talk about it and see which avenue we have to go, it's all new to us," said supervisor Vince Decario. "Whatever it takes, we want to see it."

Township supervisors say they could see 2 percent of the profits, as would the county.

Where ever the satellite casino ends up, local leaders say they are overjoyed by the prospective development and economic boost it will bring.

"Around the edges, where the hotels, the restaurants, the gas stations, all the rest of the entrepreneurial stuff, it's going to be great for be the county," said county Commissioner Courtney Anderson.

Channel 11 spoke to state Sen. Kim Ward, who she said she is happy to see this finally come to fruition. She and other lawmakers have been working on changing state legislation to allow it happen.

 

Cox Media Group

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