Pennsylvania is currently going through a rather interesting period of time as long anticipated auctions for mini-casinos construction have just begun. The first bidding took place this week and among all counties participants one managed to stand out and this was York County. As a result, the region is going to see the building of the first of 10 mini-casino venues which the authorities are planning to construct in the foreseeable future. This move is being done with the intention to amass $376 million in revenue which are going to be invested in the future development of the field.
In a surprising turn of events, the casino operator which had been very vocal about the mini-casinos plan happened to be the largest bidder in the auction which had to pick the first location for construction. Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association which is linked to Penn National managed to propose the biggest bid and this resulted in an initial license being offered to it. The bid itself amounted to $50.1 million, securing that the bidder will remain in superior position to the rest of the competitors. There were also three other entities willing to lay their hands on the license, but the luck was not on their side. As for the final decision, it is still early to say where exactly the casino will be built.
Receiving an initial license does not mean that the mini-casino will be constructed in York. Instead, it means that now Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association will have to look around and pick a suitable site for construction within a 15-mile area around Yoe. The borough is situated about five miles southeast of the city of York. At the same time, the location is some 50 miles south of the other property managed by the bidder, Hollywood Casino. The venue is operating in East Hanover Township and the distance is what makes the area of York suitable for the new mini-casino.
Future Prospects of the Mini-Casino in the Area
What might make the process of choosing a bit complicated is the fact that many of the neighboring communities have opted for banning the new gambling venues from their territories. This includes the borough of Yoe itself, but there are many communities which are willing to welcome a new casino facility within their borders and this is expected to make the process smoother. Southern York and the York metropolitan area are also part of the radius of potential sites for building. There is also Interstate 83 which stretches north and south across the county, as well as Route 30 from east to west.
As for the casino venues themselves, they will be categorized as Category 4 gambling facilities which could provide their casino patrons with a total of 750 slot machines and up to 40 table games. The second additional license auction is scheduled to take place on 24th January, as it is going to point the next location for a mini-casino.
