In Pennsylvania, Tuesday reportedly saw supervisors in Caernarvon Township sign off on a plan that is to see a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming Incorporated spend approximately $111 million in order to bring a miniature casino to southern Berks County.

Opposition observed:

According to a Wednesday report from the Reading Eagle newspaper, the decision to approve the proposed Hollywood Casino Morgantown scheme came despite local objections that had encompassed factors such as religious beliefs and community safety concerns alongside fears that the planned development could lead to a rise in  gambling addictions and drug trafficking.

Circuitous consent:

The newspaper reported that the next step in the approval process is to involve the Wyomissing-headquartered casino firm’s Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association LLC subordinate submitting a range of relevant security agreements to officials in Caernarvon Township that are set to comprise a guarantee that the firm has sufficient funds to construct and run the envisioned venue. From here, the Penn National Gaming Incorporated arm will be required to obtain similar authorizations from a range of other local bodies including the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the Berks County Conservation District.

Diverse development:

Penn National earlier declared that it hopes the 86,000 sq ft Hollywood Casino Morgantown will be able to open on a 36-acre site located between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Route 10 by the autumn of 2020. It also stated that it wants the central Caernarvon Township venue to feature a casino offering a selection of up to 750 slots alongside around 30 gaming tables as well as multiple restaurants and an entertainment stage.

Community benefits:

The Reading Eagle reported that the finished miniature casino is expected to employ about 250 locals and contribute approximately $94.3 million to the local economy every year including some $1.6 million for Caernarvon Township. It detailed that Pennsylvania’s twelve existing casinos have paid around $1.4 billion in combined taxes since 2006 courtesy of aggregated gross gaming revenues that have surpassed $3.2 billion.