The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has voted unanimously to award a license to Stadium Casino, a division of The Cordish Companies, to construct a category four casino in Westmoreland County.

The presentation for the new $150m Live! Casino Pittsburgh project was made during a recent public hearing, where Cordish representatives gave an overview of the 100,000-square-foot gaming, dining and entertainment destination.

Set to open its doors for the first time next year, the facility is to form part of the 1.3m square foot Westmoreland Mall, owned by principals of The Cordish Companies.

Live! Casino Pittsburgh will feature 750 slots and electronic table games as well as approximately 30 live action table games, alongside nationally recognised restaurants and live entertainment venues.

A category four slot machine license permits the entity to operate between 300 and 750 slot machines, as well as petitioning for permission to initially operate up to 30 table games for an additional fee of $2.5m with the capability of adding an additional ten after its first year of operation.

The project is also expected to generate $188m in annual economic impact, with an additional $148m from construction, including approximately 960 direct and indirect construction jobs and in the region of 500 permanent new jobs for local and regional residents. 

Furthermore, it is also said the development will create numerous construction and operation vendor opportunities for local businesses, as well as generating considerable support for local charities and nonprofits.

Joe Weinberg, managing partner of The Cordish Companies, commented: “We’re very excited and honoured to have been awarded the license by the Gaming Control Board and thank them for their consideration. 

“We look forward to working with state and local officials, and the entire community as we move forward with development of a true world-class destination that will attract people from throughout the region for a unique gaming and entertainment experience.”

In a related matter during the hearing, Stadium Casino also received its category two license renewal from the PGCB for its $700m Philadelphia’s Live! Casino and Hotel.