The $150 million Valley Forge Casino Resort opened early Saturday at a conference center just outside Valley Forge National Historical Park. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board gave the casino the final signoff after two test nights, board spokesman Doug Harbach said Friday.
Valley Forge is the first of the smaller "resort" casinos laid out in the 2004 law that legalized gambling in Pennsylvania, featuring 600 slot machines and 50 table games. The casino itself will be more selective, with gambling restricted to people attending a convention, meeting or private function there; people who spend a minimum of $10 in one of the resort's dining, nightlife or retail outlets; or anyone who purchases a resort membership.
"The testing went smoothly," Valley Forge Casino Resort President and CEO Saverio "Sal" R. Scheri said in a statement before the casino opened. "We cannot wait to open our doors to the public."
The casino, which is part of a convention center not far from where Washington once camped with his Continental Army soldiers, also features amenities such as bars, restaurants, a nightclub and performance and banquet space. Officials say it will bring about 645 full-time jobs.
The state's second "resort" license has been awarded to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort outside Pittsburgh, but one of the losing bidders for that license appealed to the state Supreme Court, and that license remains in limbo.
