Pennsylvania: State's first casino opens

[Penndems]

Cross-posted from the Pennsylvania board:

About 100 people lined up this morning to get into Pennsylvania’s first slot-machine parlor, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs near Wilkes-Barre.

The Mohegan Indian tribe of Connecticut, owner of the Pocono Downs harness racing complex in Plains Twp., spent $70 million on a nicely appointed but no-frills slots parlor that includes two gambling floors with nearly 1,100 machines, a bar, and a food court with three restaurants.

“It was never our goal — and frankly it was never that important to us — to open first, but certainly we are going to celebrate the fact,” said Robert Soper, Mohegan Sun’s chief executive officer, who leads a casino staff of about 400.

While the building can’t measure up to the glitz and glamor of gambling palaces in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, N.J., it doesn’t have to. Thousands are expected to show up today, lured by the novelty and convenience of all-hours legalized gambling in Pennsylvania.

Link:
http://www.pennlive.com/newslogs/patriotnews/index.ssf?/mtlogs/penn_patriotnews/archives/2006_11.html
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The beginning of the slots era in The Keystone State.

[Lucky Luciano]

1. Slots are evil

Give the people a chance with poker/blackjack/sports betting.

Those are the only games where a smart person can get an edge.

[Penndems]

2. Strictly slots right now, table games may come later

Don't quote me on this - I may be wrong here - but I believe off-track betting is legal in PA.















(edited for additional text)

[Penndems]

3. BTW, here's a link to the Pocono Downs/Mohegan Sun website, in case

yourself or anyone else is interested:

http://www.poconodowns.com/index.jsp

[Lucky Luciano]

4. If they get a poker table, I am there!

Foxwoods is a touch too far - I think this will be closer.

[Penndems]

5. Might be a little while, LOL

If slots are successful, and Pennsylvanians want table games, then the PA Legislature might vote to allow them.

We'll wait and see.

[SoCalDem]

6. People like to gamble.. why not keep their money inside the state?

California would be rolling in dough if a bunch of "bible-thumpin' do-gooders" way back when had not pushed the gaming industry to Nevada..

Will some people suffer? Sure

Just as "some" people abuse alcohol, tobacco. illegal drugs, driving too fast, eating too much...and all the other "no-no"s..

It makes a lot of sense to regulate and keep the income from stuff like that INSIDE your own state's boundaries.

California did not, and even with all the Indian Casinos we have now, there's a steady stream of cars headed for vegas EVERY DAY..and most of the money they take with them, STAYS in Nevada.

[Penndems]

7. Exactly, SoCal - and one of the chief reasons why PA instituted legalized slots

was because people were taking their money out-of-state to the casino in Charlestown, West Virginia, Dover Downs in Delaware and Jersey to gamble.

This way, the money stays in Pennsylvania and provides much-needed tax relief and funding for new and existing schools.

Not to mention, it gives a tremendous boost to the horse racing industry in PA.