PA Gaming Control Continues Hearings

Tomorrow, The Resort at Split Rock in Lake Harmony, Carbon County will host a public hearing on the issue of the proposed slot machines in the Poconos and at Pocono Downs Racetrack.  The slot machine hearing will be attended by community groups, residents, municipal officials, and developers. 

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has organized statewide hearings on slots parlor proposals.  Tomorrow’s hearing will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. Gaming Control Board spokesperson Nick Hays reports that a mere 68 speakers have signed up for the upcoming hearing.  This pitiful turn out is but a fraction of the speaker participation in past state hearings.  68 is less than one-third of the speakers that signed up for the Philadelphia and Pittsburg hearings.  Its less than one-fourth of the Allentown speaker turnout.

Hays’ reasoning is that, “There’s clearly been a lot of interest in the big cities.”

The hearing will be kicked off by the slots parlor applicants.  Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Mount Airy Resort & Casino, the Pocono Manor Resort & Casino will each be given 40 minutes a piece. 

Next, 30 minute slots will be allotted to local and state government officials.  Community groups will have 10 minutes and private citizens will only be given 3 minutes.  

No less than two members of the Gaming Control Board will be at tomorrow’s hearings.  A member of the Gaming Control Board’s hearing and appeals staff will supervise the hearing. 

Hays says there is no reason to expect these hearing to differ from past hearing where all of the scheduled speakers rarely show and many of them do not occupy all of their given time. 

Charles Dickinson, the Split Rock spokesman, is confident his facility will hold all guests comfortably.  Dickinson boasts “They couldn’t give me a crowd big enough that we can’t handle.”  The hearing itself will be housed in the Galleria.  Visitors will have to fend for themselves as far as meals go, but restaurants will be open and they will be provided with water. 

Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs does not have much cause for concern over their awarding of a Category 1 license.  Seven of the 14 casino licenses being issued by the state are for racetracks.  Unless some disqualifying activity surfaces about the group, the license is in the bag for them. 

On the other hand, things do not look as smooth for Mount Airy and Pocono Manor.  Experts are not convinced both operators will be granted the two licenses available on the outskirts of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.  There are four other casino operators competing for the same licenses.  A Susquehanna Financial Group analyst, Brian McGill, hypothesizes that Mount Airy will walk away with a license.

- Back to Slots Latest