Penn State University Staying Clear of Nittany Mall Casino Discussion

Penn State University’s Board of Trustees won’t take a formal stance on whether it supports or opposes a proposed cassino for the nearby Nittany Mall inward College Township, Pa.

During the schooling board’s budget group meeting endure calendar week at the William Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, Trustee Chair Saint Matthew the Apostle Schuyler, a William Penn State ammonia alum who is the chief firebrand ship's officer for Hilton, addressed the casino issue.

Schuyler said the room received hundreds of emails and letters regarding Bally’s project to expend $123 billion to transmute the former Macy’s department stack away at the Nittany Mall into a cassino with as many as 750 one-armed bandit machines, 30 table games, and a sportsbook.

“Understanding the unique and of import role the university plays inwards the local community, we appreciate that residents are voicing their various opinions on this topic,” Schuyler said as the coming together began in conclusion Thursday.

“The proposed gambling casino is planned for a dimension inward College Township, but it is otherwise not associated with Penn State University,” Schuyler explained. “The gameboard of trustees does not feature a stance on this project, nor does the get on get a way to raise or block the evolution of a private, legal surgical operation that has been approved by local and nation officials.”

State Matter, Not University

Penn State is the largest college in Pennsylvania. Though it’s set inwards a instead remote component of the state, State College becomes the state’s third-most populated metropolis during college football weekends when Beaver Stadium accommodates more than 100K fans.

The university’s gameboard has governance on the main campus, but its work extends end-to-end Centre County. But when it comes to whether gambling casino play should live allowed inwards the community, the trustees are leaving it upwardly to local elected officials and the Keystone State Gaming Control Board (PGCB).

Decisions regarding whether a cassino tin live opened are made by local municipalities and the Keystone State Gaming Control Board. And in that location are mechanisms inward set for individuals to share their opponent to — or financial backing of — this buck private endeavour with these decision-making entities,” Schuyler continued.

The trustee chair concluded past locution the plank remains focussed on assisting the university and its students with teaching, research, outreach missions, and campus safety.

Penn State potassium alum and former trustee Ira Lubert is involved with the Bally’s State College plan. Lubert secured the Category 4 casino certify during the PGCB’s September 2020 auctioneer round. Lubert qualified to conjure because he holds a 3% stakes in Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.

Lubert later partnered with Bally’s for the Nittany Mall casino.

Council Mulls Options

In 2019, College Township councilors opted not to move back the town’s candidacy inwards beingness considered for a Category 4 casino. The local authorities seems to regret that conclusion now.

Fielding hundreds of letters inwards opposite to Bally’s casino plan, the township says it’s considering authorship its have letter to the PGCB urging the nation get on to deny the throw a gaming license. The township is also considering conducting a comprehensive refresh of what sorting of negative societal impact a cassino would get on the college community.

Penn State’s campus is less than two miles from where Bally’s hopes to undetermined its casino. The PGCB is to next fit on Oct 19.