Mount Airy’s bid comes after critics say lawmakers gave it two sweetheart provisions in the gambling bill. A Baltimore-based developer that’s building a casino in Philadelphia’s stadium district won the second license, bidding $40.1 million to put up a casino in Westmoreland County. Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming won the first mini-casino license last month, bidding $50.1 million to put one in the York area. But Vogler said he expected a Lawrence County casino could draw from five surrounding counties - three in Pennsylvania and two in Ohio - that, with Lawrence County, have a combined population of 1 million.
Mount Airy did not specify a specific site where it plans to build and gave no details about what kind of establishment it plans to build. “Today’s a good day for our community,” Lawrence County Commissioner Dan Vogler said. Area officials hope the casino will provide an economic boost. Lawrence County officials had actively sought a suitor for a mini-casino. Bids are limited for now to the owners of Pennsylvania’s 11 casino licenses that allow holders to operate up to 5,000 slot machines and 250 table games.
Mini-casinos can operate up to 750 slot machines and license holders can pay $2.5 million more to operate 30 table games. 1 in tax revenue from gambling - $1.4 billion in the most recent fiscal year. 2 state for commercial casino gross revenues, second to Nevada, and is already No.
