"The company's board of directors has approved the plan for completing the hotel and we fully expect to see construction workers on the site within a matter of weeks," said Michael Leven, president of Las Vegas Sands Corp. "The results at the Sands in recent months are more in line with our expectations of the property and with the addition of table games this summer, and 300 hotel rooms next spring, the property will be well-positioned for greater success moving forward."
On Wednesday, at the completion of a hearing with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the property was awarded a three-year renewal of its slot operator license and gained approval of its table games operation certificate. With the table games approval now in hand, company officials said they are targeting July as the month the property should be able to offer live table games to its guests.
As for the hotel, Mr. Leven said construction will take approximately 12 months and it should be ready to open by May 2011. He said that as far back as early February the company began working on updated design drawings and as part of that effort, the hotel will now feature 371.6 sqm of meeting space as well as an indoor swimming pool and fitness center.
"As we approach the property's one-year anniversary, it is exciting to think about what the future has in store for Sands Bethlehem. Restarting work on the hotel is a huge momentum builder for the property and adding live table games to an environment which already features great dining and nightlife activities will certainly make the Sands one of the region's top entertainment destinations," said Sands Bethlehem President Robert DeSalvio.
Mr. DeSalvio said Sands Bethlehem will offer a total of 89 tables, including such games as blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and baccarat. He said dealer training for the table games is already underway and the property will be ready for action, pending a final go-ahead from the Gaming Control Board, when it's time to deal the first card.