Kevin Costner, meet Harrah’s Chester.
If you build it, they will come.
The Chester casino officially entered the table games era Sunday. The place was packed.
Players were waiting in line at 6 a.m. when officials took the wraps off their poker table, roulette wheels and craps tables.
They had a trial run on Friday, with $5 maximum bets and the money going to a local charity.
But bright and early Sunday morning it was time for the real deal. Our John Roman was there for the opening. You can see his report here.
I’m not the least bit surprised that Harrah’s was packed yesterday. It was really only a matter of time before table games arrived here. My guess is that legal sports betting will be next on the agenda.
One thing to keep in mind, especially for home owners struggling with rising property taxes. Sometimes we forget that the reason Pennsylvania got involved in this huge expansion of legalized gambling was to provide relief from skyrocketing property taxes.
Pennsylvania took a big bite out of the revenue raked in by all those slots machines. But it is not getting nearly as big a chunk out of table games.
If people suddenly start turning their backs on the slots in order to play table games, what will happen to property tax relief? Just something to keep in mind.
The other thing to watch is Atlantic City. Once a ghost town that was revived by gambling and marketing itself as Las Vegas east, the shore town now is facing another huge test.
With table games now in place at Pa. casinos, why would people drive to the shore to get their poker fix.
And one final thought. How much eventually is too much when it comes to gambling. I have noted in this space several times that revenue from Harrah’s slots operations has been off now for more than a year.
That was hard to believe yesteday, as crowds jammed the tables in Chester.
It’s a new era of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania.
Again.
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