Cha-Ching! Bring on the Slots in Philly

Slots arrive at SugarHouse Casino

Things are about to get a bit noisier around the SugarHouse Casino.

The first slot machines arrived Tuesday morning to the soon-to-be opened casino along the Delaware River.

As the shiny slots were carefully unwrapped, the long awaited opening looked closer to reality.

“It’s been a long road, and I’ll tell you what, being at this point and watching slot machines pull into the driveway today feels terrific,” GM Wendy Hamilton told KYW.com.

SugarHouse, which is set to open its doors in Fishtown sometime in September, was no easy win. The casino faced opposition from the community, delaying construction for months.

“It wasn’t always easy, it wasn’t always pretty but we ended up in the right place and today is another achievement of the city moving forward,” said Mayor Michael Nutter at the groundbreaking in October.

The 85 slots unloaded were just the first of many shipments coming to Philly’s first casino. By opening day there will be 1,600 slot machines and 40 table games ready to entertain.

Philadelphia’s other aspiring casino, Foxwoods hasn’t been as successful. After losing investor Steve Wynn, reports surfaced that nearby Harrah’s Entertainment in Chester might come to the casino’s rescue, according to the Inquirer.

Mayor Nutter encourages the partnership between SugarHouse and the city for the jobs it provides in harsh economic times. The new casino should create around 500 full-time jobs.


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