In a move that stunned officials in Cumberland County, developers are seeking a license for a casino at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg West on the Carlisle Pike in Hampden Township. The application left local officials scratching their heads because they knew nothing of the plans.
The developers, identified as Penn Harris Gaming L.P., have filed a petition for a “resort casino” license, said Doug Harbach, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Resort casinos are smaller than full-size casinos, such as Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. A resort casino is limited to 600 slot machines and 50 table games. The Hollywood Casino, for example, has more than 2,000 slots machines.
Pennsylvania law requires a resort casino to be at least 15 miles from an established venue; the Holiday Inn property is about 25 miles from the Hollywood Casino in East Hanover Township.
Only one resort casino license is left to be awarded, and the deadline for applications was Wednesday. The developer hoping to build a resort casino outside Gettysburg also filed his application Wednesday.
Other applicants for the final resort license include Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Fayette County, Fernwood Hotel and Resort in the Poconos, and the Crowne Plaza Reading in Wyomissing, Berks County.
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