The Cordish Gaming Group’s Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is one of the most anticipated operations in the Keystone State. Initially set to launch by the end of 2020, the $700 million casino and hotel development will be going live in early 2021 instead. The postponement of the launch date is a rather obvious result of the coronavirus pandemic which brought a lot of things to a halt.
However, despite the delay in its launch, Pennsylvanians still have quite a lot of things to look forward to. The benefits of the development are likely to be seen in just a few weeks when the gaming, hospitality, and entertainment venue launches an on-site recruitment center. As it turns out, the operator will be bringing up to 2,000 jobs to locals.
Even More to Come
The launch of the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is just the beginning though. The Cordish Gaming Group has also set its sights on the adjacent South Philadelphia Sports Complex and is planning to transform it into an entertainment district. The complex will feature the casino resort, as well as sports and entertainment options.
The casino itself will host over 2,000 slots machines and electronic table games. It is also set to features at least 15 live-action table games, a FanDuel-branded sportsbook, an events center as well as a luxury hotel with over 200 rooms. To top it all off, patrons will also be able to access a variety of dining and nightlife options.
The land-based gaming options aside, the gambling operator also has plans for the iGaming space. This will come in the form of the PlayLive! online casino site whose games will be connected to Cordish Gaming Group’s sportsbook and FanDuel. The state has one of the most lucrative online gambling markets and it is not surprising that they are looking into it.
New Leadership
To oversee its massive expansion plans, the Cordish Gaming Group has recently named Joe Billhimer as its new executive vice president. Mr. Billhimer is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience which makes him a great choice for the gaming operator. He will now be overseeing the launch of two casinos in the Keystone State. This might seem like a difficult task but he definitely has the necessary help to see the plans through.
“I’ve never opened two properties at one time, but that’s kind of a singular statement. We have two great teams in both areas as well as some tremendous support from our corporate side as well. It’s not like anyone of us is doing it on our own.”
Joe Billhimer
One of the other things that the company is said to be considering is bidding for a mini-casino license. The new vice president did not disclose any information about this speculation. However, it will not be long until the state conducts its next mini-casino license auction. Everything will be made clear then.