Small but eager crowd
The brand new Live! Casino Pittsburgh enjoyed its public grand opening Tuesday morning after celebrating a limited opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony last week. The casino is located in the Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield Township, a suburb east of Pittsburgh. Yes, you read that right, the casino is in a mall. And why not? It is on the site of the former Bon-Ton store, so might as well put a large space like that to good use.
Guests did not exactly clamor to Live! Casino Pittsburgh to be there when the doors opened – reports are that there were only about 30 people waiting to get in – but then again, it was 6:00am. If I’m not tossing and turning, or my wife isn’t unconsciously kicking me and encroaching onto my pillow, I’m asleep at that hour.
Health protocols enforced
Initial customer reviews were positive. They appreciated the COVID-19 health and safety protocols that were in place, such as temperature checks at the door, a mask mandate, and barriers between slot machines and between guests and dealers. High-touch surfaces are sanitized frequently.
“I like how they checked the temperature at the door. That was pretty nice coming in,” Kevin Bosco told KDKA News, Pittsburgh’s local CBS station.
Casino general manager Sean Sullivan emphasized that his facility follows all CDC, Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, and state COVID-19 safety guidelines. Hand sanitizer is also available upon entry and throughout the casino and social distancing is practiced as much as possible.
“Opening day’s when everybody involved can breathe a sigh of relief,” added Sullivan, speaking with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s like we made it. It’s exciting, everything came together, nothing bad happened. The sun will come up, and everybody can feel good about what they accomplished.”
One of five mini-casinos
Owned by The Cordish Companies, Live! Casino Pittsburgh cost $150 million to build. It houses 150 slot machines and 30 table games. It is a two-story facility, with the first floor dedicated to the casino and the second floor serving as an entertainment center. Guests must be 21-years old to be on the first floor, but all ages can enjoy the upstairs, complete with a 445-seat restaurant and bar, a four-lane bowling alley, basketball, skee-ball, darts, a golf simulator, shuffleboard, and a 45-foot television screen.
Live! Casino Pittsburgh is what is called a “mini-casino.” When Pennsylvania passed its gambling expansion bill three years ago, it authorized the construction of ten mini-casinos. There were tight restrictions on where they could be built: not within 25 miles of a Category 1, 2, or 3 casino, not within 15 miles of a Category 4 casino, and not in a municipality that had opted-out of having one.
The Control Board auctioned off the licenses and only ended up awarding five. The final auction was in September 2019 and since there were no takers, there have been no more auctions. The Stadium Casino Group, a joint venture between Cordish and Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, paid $40,100,005 for the second mini-casino license and the Westmoreland Mall location.
