It was a big week for American casino news as it looks like the pastime is becoming more prevalent in the country. Let’s take a closer look at the expansion around the nation in this week’s news:
Pennsylvania Sees Just Three Online Gambling Requests
The state of Pennsylvania can use a boost to its coffers. Not surprisingly, it’s again looking to gambling to fill that void. Monday was a deadline for the state’s casino owners to earn an online license at a discounted rate and a few operators are getting in line.
In total, there are 13 casinos with licenses in the state but only three applied before Monday’s deadline. The deadline allowed for a discounted rate of a license at $10 million vs the $12 million that it will now be. The applications came from Parx Casino (Philadelphia), Mount Airy Casino Resort (north Pennsylvania) and Live! Hotel and Casino (Philadelphia).
MGM National Harbor Unveils $48-Million Expansion
MGM National Harbor has been cleaning up in terms of profits in the Maryland market and now it’s reinvesting. MGM National Harbor has been the top profit winner in Maryland almost every month since its opening and that’s likely to continue as it’s expanded. On Monday, the hotel unveiled $48 million in renovations that will see the casino grow its gaming floor and dining options and add horse betting to the portfolio. The upgrade will put an additional 285 slot machines on the casino floor, expand the poker room and add off-track horse betting. In terms of jobs, 250 more will be added as a result.
The biggest news here might be the volume of visitors the casino is seeing. While it was built to feel like a Las Vegas-style property, the size was much smaller as they weren’t expecting Vegas-like crowds. As it turns out, MGM National Harbor has become one of the places to be in the area, attracting visitors from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, as well as convention business from around the country. That’s good news for MGM as it gets closer to unveiling its Boston location and possibly thinks about other openings around the United States.
New Venue In Downtown Miami On The Cusp
Speaking of expansions across the country, it looks like the city of Miami could be seeing a new gambling facility open up in the downtown area within the next couple of years. The city of Miami already has a few casinos but the latest news is that the Department of Business and Professional Regulation has approved a new gambling facility to move ahead with their project.
West Flager Associates was the company that earned the green light and it will now have the ability to build and run a gaming outlet in Edgewater. It’s the same company that operates Magic City Casino but it has had a tough time getting the license to operate a second property in Miami. This is only a summer license, though, which means the facility will be able to offer poker and jai alai games in the warm months but will shift to being an entertainment venue in the winter.