The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted everything, in the US and internationally. In many cases, construction or remodeling projects of new developments have been prolonged or even stopped completely due to the virus. In certain regions, people need to continue to social distance, which makes working on such projects impossible. In Pennsylvania, the Cordish Companies has been working to develop a satellite casino near Pittsburgh. Despite a slow-down in construction due to the virus, the facility is set to open as planned this year.
2020 Opening
The Live! Casino Pittsburgh is under construction in Westmore County within the Hempfield Township. This is located about 30 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The satellite casino will be housed in the former Bon-Ton department store of the local mall.
The casino is being developed and will be operated by The Cordish Companies. The brand is also working on a larger casino in the Philadelphia region. As far as the satellite location is concerned, the operator is hoping to have it up and running by the end of the year.
The pandemic led to a disruption in construction, so an official opening date has yet to be released. However, Advertising and Public Relations Manager for the casino, Doug Haniford, stated that they are targeting opening up before the end of 2020.
What Will the Casino Offer?
Because the new Pittsburgh casino is a satellite one, it is only allowed to offer a small number of table games and slots. Up to 750 slot games can be added, and the Pittsburgh venue will reach the top number. The site will include popular games like Double Diamond and Wheel of Fortune.
For table games, the casino will have 30 tables. There will be a nice mix of roulette, blackjack, craps, and baccarat. The facility is 100,000 square feet in size and has a $150 million price tag.
Along with traditional casino gaming, the property will also include a sportsbook. Live! Casino Pittsburgh will be a popular spot for sports bettors as they will have a FanDuel operated sportsbook. The Cordish Companies and FanDuel signed a partnership deal back in 2019.
The property will also be home to the Sports & Steel City experience. In this area, players can dine and enjoy entertainment as well as additional games like ping pong, a golf-simulator and bowling. The area will consist of two levels and will have a giant LED video screen that is 45 feet in size that features major sporting events.
Cordish Companies has its hands full trying to get this venue up and running by the end of the year. Only a few months remain before the casino will need to open or wait until 2021. The company is already waiting until next year to open the doors to its Live! Casino Philadelphia, which will be the second full-scale Vegas style casino in the city.
We expect more details to come from the Cordish Companies in the coming weeks as they get closer to launching the satellite casino in the Pittsburgh area.
