State College, Pa. — A new casino is coming to the former site of a Macy's department store.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted unanimously to award a Category 4 slot machine license to SC Gaming OpCo, LLC to construct a casino in College Township, Centre County.
The award concludes a process that began on September 2, 2020. Ira Lubert secured the right to locate a casino with a winning bid of $10,000,101 at a Category 4 auction held that day by the Board.
Mr. Lubert filed an application with the Board in January 2021 to locate the casino in a 94,000 square foot space that formerly housed Macy’s Department Store at the Nittany Mall located along College Avenue in College Township.
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The casino, which will be operated by Bally's Corporation, will offer at opening 750 slot machines, 30 table games, retail facility sports wagering, a stage for live music and special events, and quick-serve food and beverage outlets.
A Category 4 Slot Machine License permits the entity to operate between 300 and 750 slot machines. The entity could also petition for permission to operate up to 30 table games for an additional fee of $2.5 million, with the capability of adding an additional 10 table games after its first year of operation.
Upfront construction costs are estimated at $35 million, and the facility expects to support 350 full-time equivalent construction jobs, according to a gaming commission news release. The casino expects to eventually support the full-time equivalent employment of 350 persons.
No target date for opening has been set, but SC Gaming representatives told the Board it would expect construction to last approximately 12 months once it has begun.
