Philadelphia Casino News
Mark Dorrin, 66, hasn’t seen his gambling friends in over three months.
But at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, the Prospect Park resident stood in line for the reopening of Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack in Chester. Dorrin, a customer of Harrah’s since it opened in 2007, used to visit at least twice a week. And he came Friday in part “to see old friends —I’ve already seen four.”
Authorities have arrested two men believed to be responsible for robbing nearly 20 patrons and employees of a Philadelphia casino in a crime spree that dates back to 2018. Perry Kellam, 33,. South Philadelphia’s long-delayed Live! Hotel & Casino Philadelphia will be open and operating in 2020, according to developer Stadium Casino LLC. Gilbane Building Company is the general contractor for the project. Demolition is scheduled to begin in December 2018, with construction beginning in 2019. Casino & Hotel Philadelphia will be a $700 million world-class hotel, gaming, dining and entertainment destination featuring 2,200 slot machines and 150+ live action table games, an upscale 200+ room hotel, a new 2,700-space parking garage, locally and nationally-recognized restaurants and live entertainment venues. The planned December opening of Live!Hotel & Casino Philadelphia in the city’s stadium district has been delayed until early next year. A highly placed source tells us the delay is a response to various circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Philadelphia news, weather, traffic and sports from FOX 29, serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Watch breaking news live or see the latest videos from programs like Good Day Philadelphia.
The casino opened its doors at 9 a.m. to repeat customers belonging to its loyalty-card program, , but Dorrin and other early arrivals were let in half an hour early to prevent long lines forming outside. Going forward, the casino will once again be open 24/7.
Harrah’s, owned by Caesars Entertainment, is one of many casinos in the region that are reopening this week as Pennsylvania and New Jersey continue to ease stay-at-home orders. Atlantic City casinos are set to return July 2.
Valley Forge Casino Resort joined Harrah’s in opening on Friday, while Wind Creek Bethlehem and Parx Casino in Bensalem will reopen on Monday. Rivers Casino Philadelphia, formerly SugarHouse Casino, has yet to announce a reopening date.
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The pandemic decimated revenue for casinos. In February, Harrah’s reported over $192 million in wagers and over $173 million in payouts for slot machine gaming revenue, one of its biggest earners. Those numbers fell by 65% in March, after the casino closed its doors on March 14. In April and May, the slot machine revenue was zero.
State and local tax revenues are likely to face sharp declines, as well. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported a record $3.3 billion in revenue for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, after launching sports betting in November 2018. Reports for the latest fiscal year will likely come out in July.
Even after reopening, Harrah’s is unlikely to recoup its losses immediately. With the casino now operating at only 50% capacity, every other slot machine is closed to ensure patrons are seated six feet apart. Table games also have fewer chairs. Harness races held on site will be open for betting, but only a few spectators will be allowed to watch races from a small outdoor deck.
Food and beverage sales will be down too, with limited service from The Market and Guy Fieri’s Philly Kitchen + Bar.
Despite reopenings allowed by Governor Wolf’s green phase this weekend, casino crowds have cause for concern. Gamblers, who tend to be older in age, are still at risk of contracting the virus, which remains prevalent across the country.
The number of daily COVID-19 cases is dramatically increasing in many states, like Florida and Texas, that began reopening businesses in May. While Pennsylvania and Philadelphia have seen recent daily case volumes fall below their peaks in April, the state still has a run-up in cases over the last two weeks, based on the latest data from the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
The casino will enforce new safety protocols. All patrons and employees must be wearing masks at all times, and everyone entering the casino will undergo a temperature check.
“Machines are wiped down every two hours with spray guns,” said Aimee Cicero, a public relations manager. “There are buckets of sanitizing wipes throughout the casino floor that patrons can use to wipe machines as well.” Chips for table games will be disinfected on a regular basis, too.
Some patrons were less diligent in following mask-wearing policies, especially in the smoking section. Others nearby had masks slung below their chins as they smoked cigars and cigarettes while playing the slot machines.
Some not in the smoking section stuck haphazardly to the new rules, with many patrons wearing them only over their mouths, leaving their noses exposed. One craps table attracted a closely packed crowd of 10 gamblers, despite Caesars regulations limiting the number to six.
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Michael Castellente, 45, wasn’t surprised by the changes, since he’d seen pictures online of other reopened casinos across the country. He said that coming in the morning might be a healthier choice than at night, when the casino tends to be more crowded.
Because he lives near the airport, Harrah’s is the most convenient casino, and he’s glad to see it reopen. “It doesn’t feel too different,” he said. “I like it because you’re around other people that are happy.”
Aileen Morton, 67, found comfort in the return to Harrah’s, too, though hers was more bittersweet. The East Norriton resident used to visit the casino with her husband every week before she retired at the end of December. Two weeks later, her husband passed away.
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“I’ve missed it,” she said. “ It’s my first time being here without him.”
Despite her apprehensions about going out in a pandemic, Morton looked forward to the reopening . “I’m elated, seriously, just to see people.”
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Police said all of the victims are of Asian descent
Authorities have arrested two men believed to be responsiblefor robbing nearly 20 patrons and employees of a Philadelphia casino in a crimespree that dates back to 2018.
Perry Kellam, 33, and Tyrone Tarpley, 38, are accused ofrobbing at least 16 people after the victims had left the Rivers Casino. Therobberies – two of which were at gunpoint – spanned from Nov. 23, 2018, untilFeb. 10, 2020, Philadelphia Police Department Sgt. Eric Gripp said in a newsrelease.
Gripp said all the victims are of Asian descent. They weretargeted after leaving the casino, formerly known as the Sugar House Casino,and robbed in various parts of the city, as well as in Springfield Township,Montgomery County, and Tinicum Township, Delaware County, Gripp said.
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Kellam was previously arrested and charged with five similarrobberies in 2013. He was arrested at his home on Feb. 10 and charged with 10robberies, as well a racketeering-influenced corrupt organization (RICO), conspiracyand related offenses in the latest case. He is the prime suspect in at leastsix additional robberies, Gripp said.
Tarpley was arrested Feb. 12 and charged with robbery, RICO,conspiracy and related offenses in three of the 16 cases.
The arrests came after an investigation from Philadelphiapolice, the FBI and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.