- Parx Casino became the fourth gaming venue to open a PA sportsbook in January of 2019.
- Parx Casino is the most profitable casino in the state and is owned by the same company that operates the South Philly Turf Club and the Valley Forge Race and Sportsbook.
SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Parx Casino, the most profitable casino in the state of Pennsylvania, is looking to expand its operations once more. Owners of the gaming destination have held a town meeting in order to garner local support, in the hopes to open a mini-casino in Shippensburg, PA.
Earlier this week, members of the community along with first responders met inside the Shippensburg University Conference Center in order to discuss details of the casino proposal as well as hear the public’s concerns over its construction.
According to the owners of Parx, the proposed mini-casino would house 500 slot machines, 40 electronic table games, as well as a bar and sportsbook. They also claim that the venue would bring 320 jobs to the area and approximately $2 million each year in additional tax revenue.
“It’s going to be quite a facility and ought to provide a good bit of economic generations within the community in the area,” said Doug Harbach, a representative of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB).
While this may be enough to sway some, opponents of the mini-casino are still concerned about the possible increase of patrons that could need emergency services in the small community.
Others believe that taxes should be acquired through other means besides gambling. It will be up to the PGCB and the owners of Parx to weigh-in the concerns of community members and ultimately make a final decision on whether or not to approve a new gaming facility.
If everything goes as Parx officials plan, Shippensburg could be home to the next venue fro sports betting in Pennsylvania by the end of 2020.