Skip to content

More State College Casino Problems

New court filings are continuing the legal battle tied to a proposed casino in Centre County, which some have described as a “three-ring circus” of accusations and denials that may be in the court system for years.

Since mid-December, two of the parties involved in the legal dispute over the proposed Centre County casino have both filed new statements and responses in commonwealth court.

The two parties are the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and Stadium Casino, the company which lost in a gaming control auction for the right to bid on a license and own the casino.

The winner of that auction, former Penn State trustee Ira Lubert, is the third party involved.

Last month, the Gaming Control Board voted to allow the license hearing process with Lubert to move forward, but Stadium Casino claims Lubert violated rules by forming new partnerships with his SC Gaming LLC company, after the winning bid, and that allegedly raises new questions about his ownership and eligibility.

Lubert denies the accusation. In fact, his legal counsel termed the challenge “sour grapes.”

But Stadium Casino claims the gaming board itself now doesn’t have the statutory authority to consider SC Gaming’s license application.

In their latest filing, the board rejects that argument, saying court decisions and state law uphold their jurisdiction.

But in their new response, Stadium Casino cites last month’s vote by the board which also restricted sharing information on the bidding as another reason the entire issue should be decided in court, and not by the gaming board.

There has been no word on when the court could be making a decision, but it’s almost certain it will be appealed, meaning more delays for the proposed casino, which Lubert wants to open at the former Macy’s store site at the Nittany Mall.

 

Back To Top