Casino operator picks New Castle area as site for new casino

NEW CASTLE, PA.

Fourteen years ago Lawrence County started to seek out a casino investor.

On Thursday it learned Mount Airy No. 1 LLC was the high bidder with a bid of $21 million in the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s public bid for a category four casino license with three bids received.

Mount Airy No. 1 LLC, which operates the Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos, selected New Castle as the center point of location for the new casino that can have up to 750 slot machines and 40 table games.

The casino can be built within a 15-mile radius around the center location as long as the municipality is in Pennsylvania and it hasn’t opted out as a host for casino, the gaming control board said.

“We were very, very happy when they announced Lawrence County,” said Dan Vogler, chairman of the Lawrence County commissioners. “We are hoping for some spin off. It’s a very positive for our community.”

Mount Airy did not have a timeline to share for when the project will be finished and how many jobs it would bring to the community but said more details including a location will be announced next week.

Read more about the project in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.