Wind Creek Casino seems to be headed toward receiving its state gaming license.
Following a hearing in Bethlehem on Wednesday, witnesses from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Gaming Control Board stated that nothing should stand in the way. Casino representatives bragged throughout the hearing about their plans to invest over $15 million in upgrades for the 2024 fiscal year. They also mentioned that they would spend millions more in 2025 to build three new restaurants, a new weapon detection system, and renovations for the hotel's South Tower.
According to Wind Creek spokesperson Julia Corwin, various feasibility studies are being conducted as part of the ongoing work to create a new master plan for the former Bethlehem Steel property close to the casino. The state Gaming Control Board must renew Wind Creek's gaming license every five years, which permits the casino on Bethlehem's South Side to operate.
Board members assess whether the casino is a good neighbor to the town it is located in and if it conforms with state regulations. The purpose of this first of two steps—the public input hearing on Wednesday—is to gather information and testimonies from community residents, regulators, and casino management in order to inform the board's decision.
Wind Creek representatives will have another opportunity to submit information and make their case for operating for an additional five years at a hearing that will take place in Harrisburg in the coming months. In their testimony on Wednesday, Pennsylvania State Police and gaming compliance officers with the control board stated that they could not see any justification for refusing Wind Creek a longer license while ensuring the casino complies with state regulations.
That is not to argue that Wind Creek has had a perfect five years. The Gaming Control Board has given Wind Creek forty-three warning letters, one demand letter, and four board-approved cooperation agreements since its previous licensing hearings. A cooperation agreement that was made public in May imposed a $125,000 fine for each of the ten instances in which minors were allowed on the casino floor.
According to Lauren Sposato, a casino compliance officer with the control board, the regulatory problems at Wind Creek are mostly comparable to those that other casinos in the area face. She stated that keeping guests from leaving young children unsupervised in areas like the complex's food court was the worst problem for Wind Creek. Nedia Ralston, a member of the gaming control board, applauded casino management for making progress in addressing unaccompanied minors. This includes increased security patrols and new signage emphasizing that no one under the age of 18 should be left alone. "Not only the board, but the entire Gaming Commission was clearly taking up a charge on minors being left unattended," the spokesperson stated. "We are seeing a decrease in the numbers, and you guys have invested in numerous areas.”
This is Wind Creek's first license renewal following its acquisition of the South Bethlehem casino, formerly known as Sands. The hearing on Wednesday was moved from its planned date of June 26 due to strong storms that interrupted power to City Hall. Representatives for Wind Creek presented their intentions for recent capital expenditures during the meeting on Wednesday. These included the addition of three new eateries—a Moe's Southwest Grill, an Auntie Anne's Pretzels, and a Starbucks Coffee—to the property's food court. Renovations to the casino gift shop, a $3 million carpet improvement, and plans to refurbish the hotel's South Tower to better match the recently finished North Tower extension are also in the works.
In order to monitor vehicles entering and leaving the property, Wind Creek's security crew purchased new license plate readers earlier this year. They also purchased infrared and thermal cameras to aid in the search for children left unsupervised in cars. Following a fruitful two-day testing period in May, Wind Creek has placed an order for weapon detection systems that should be operational by the beginning of 2025.
With gaming revenue that has surpassed pre-pandemic collections, Wind Creek intends to invest a total of $15.1 million in new capital projects for the fiscal year 2024. Several nonprofit organizations in Bethlehem that Wind Creek supports gathered support for the casino's application to extend its gaming license. ArtsQuest President Kassie Hilgert stated, "Wind Creek, formerly the Sands, has been a tremendous sponsor of artsquest and many other organizations in Bethlehem and the surrounding region." "We firmly believe Wind Creek should be granted a new license."
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