A question being posed in Centre County is what kind of impact would the proposed gambling casino have on the area?
It’s been a key question since the project was first proposed.
And as Gary Sinderson reports ,a new impact study is now in the works.
A casino, to be located at the former Macy’s store site at the Nittany Mall, has been in the works for several years. Bally Corporation, with former Penn State Trustee Ira Lubert, formerly announcing the project early last year.
It would be located in College Township, and on the Township casino information page, and elsewhere, you can also see how public opposition to a casino has been increasing
“And we, our staff and council appreciate the concerns that are being raised,and we hear them”
Last week, a lengthy, College Township council information meeting raised some more recent issues.
One of them deals with a local impact study of the casino, done by a third party, that the developers initially submitted to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
But there’s a growing call for the Township to conduct its own, independent impact study. Now the Township, Assistant Manager tells us council has directed staff to begin evaluation and preparation of its own impact study.
Thus far, Staff has begun developing the potential scope of this study, particularly what aspects staff can compile that may fall outside of staff capacity
On a related issue, the Township Solicitor has been contacted for a legal opinion on what happens if and its only an if the Township would request the Gaming Control Board to deny a casino license for the project.
The gaming board has a tentative October 19th hearing date on the project. And another pending decision awaits in Commonwealth Court where a developer who bid on the project, but was denied by the Gaming Board has filed suit claiming Lubert’s winning bid was improperly awarded.
