Gambling expansion could bring casino to State College Area

The negotiators in the talks say the budget is about US$ 1.5 billion out of balance, according to The Associated Press.

On July 17, state senators were called to Harrisburg for closed-door sessions and were in public session briefly July 18. They were released without action, except for a bill for providing for a grant program for statewide 211, a call-in system that provides health and human services information to state residents.

Sen. Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, said talks are continuing and proposals are being considered, but significant progress was not made early in the week.

One of the proposals would be to allow for the 10 established casinos to build smaller satellite locations that would include slots and table games, and Corman said State College was being floated as a possible location. “It's been suggested that State College would be a spot that somebody may want to locate one,” he said.

He said he is trying to remain objective about casinos, despite previous apprehensions. “I've never been a gaming vote,” Corman said. “Having said that, I think a lot of the fears that many of us had when gaming first came into place have not come true. The casinos have operated as good corporate citizens, and as a form of entertainment it has not cause a lot of the social issues that many of us were concerned about.

"So, as we look to possibly expand that entertainment to other areas of the state, I'm trying to be objective and see if there's ways that it can be done a responsible manner that can help some communities."

But, he also pointed out that the dominoes would have to fall in place for casino satellite expansions to become a reality. A gaming bill would have to pass that includes provisions for satellite facilities, and State College would have to be picked for a site. “If done responsibly and done in a way that it can be a form of entertainment for folks ... I'm trying to be objective as I look at it,” Corman said.

The current divide within the industry pits casino operators in the state who are seeking licenses for Internet-based gambling against bar owners hoping to add video gaming terminals.

Rumors abound in State College of the possible construction of a casino in the area, but no developers have come forward with plans. 

Tor Michaels, chief of staff for Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, said “There is talk of a location within the Centre Region but we have heard nothing official.”

Michaels, however, said there are better ways to fund the state budget, and that Conklin supports a number of measures such as gateway tolling, closing the Delaware loophole, combined reporting and a severance fee or tax on Marcellus shale. Michaels said gas companies are already packaging the cost of a severance fee into the cost of gas, but the state is not collecting.

Patton Township Manager Doug Erickson told StateCollege.com earlier this week that he has received no inquiries about possible casino development in the township.