Happy Valley Casino, which will bring an expected 750 slot machines, 30 table games, a sports betting section, a full-service restaurant, and a quick-serve dining option to State College residents and visitors, has begun construction.
The $120 million project is on track to be completed in the first half of 2026, with the Category 4 casino, or mini-casino, going up on the site of the former Macy’s department store in Nittany Mall.
Eric Pearson, CEO and manager of Happy Valley Casino, shared his vision with WTAJ-TV about what the casino would bring to the region best known nationally for its public university, Penn State.
“We see it as one of the only things that can bring some significant redevelopment and new energy into the Nittany Mall area. … College kids are not our target demographic; it is really that 45-plus age range is typically who comes to casinos. The college students are not interesting to us as customers. However, their parents, when they come to visit, we’re excited to welcome them.”
Five years to get to this point
In September 2020, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board awarded a license to SC Gaming over a bid from the Cordish Companies.
Since then, SC Gaming weathered a campaign from the Cordish-aligned Stadium Casino challenging its license, which lasted nearly four years. Last September, SC Gaming and Bally’s terminated the framework agreement that had them partnering on the State College casino project.
In March, Saratoga Casino Holdings entered into a partnership with SC Gaming on the Happy Valley Casino project, which moved it forward.
SC Gaming owner Ira Lubert has strong ties to Penn State, having graduated from the university in 1973. Last year, Lubert and his wife, Pam Estadt, donated $10 million to build a new welcome center at Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley.
Hundreds of jobs
In preparation for the opening, the entity has already posted four positions on the Indeed employment website, including director of slots, director of table games, casino compliance officer, and information technology manager, with position salaries ranging from just over $70,000 to $95,000.
The casino is expected to provide 350 full-time positions once completed. State College-based Poole Anderson Construction is overseeing construction, according to a Centre Daily Times report.
The story included a status update from Pearson:
“The project is off to a great start, and we’re confident that once it is completed, we’ll deliver a premier experience focusing on fun, excitement, and hospitality that compliments Happy Valley and serves as a catalyst for further exciting development of the Dale Summit region around the Nittany Mall.”
A 2021 local impact report from Econsult Solutions, Inc. projected that a State College casino would be a net-positive for both tourism and tax revenue generation.
