New and next to an interstate

If your summertime travels will take you into Pennsylvania this year, you may want to plan a stop to see the state's newest casino. Opened in February, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course is a 365,000 square-foot state-of-the-art integrated gaming and racing facility. It's located just off Interstate 81 at exit 80 -- about one-half mile north of the exit ramp. The facility is in Granville, PA, home of Penn National, the parent company of the Hollywood Casinos that are located throughout the country.

There are over 2,000 slots and video poker machines on the first floor of the building. Live thoroughbred racining and full-card simulcasting are featured throughout the year. Dining options are at five restaurants including trackside, American & Italian restaurants, fast food and a sports bar & lounge.

For free RV parking with good security, look for the RVs in the open lot north of the casino building near the red barn. This is an "RV-friendly" facility, but there are no hookups.

A new slots parlor in Pennsylvania

The new Mount Airy Casino and Resort opened its doors on Monday (10/22), making it the sixth gaming location in Pennsylvania and the state's first free-standing "slots parlor" to open. The five other casinos that are already open operate at racetracks, facilities known as "racinos."

The casino is built on the site of the former Mount Airy Lodge which had been a signature resort in the Pocono Mountains for more than 50 years. The new Mount Airy Casino has 2,523 slot machines and 188 hotel rooms. Work on the 891-acre site will continue into next year, with 212 more hotel rooms, a pool and 500 more slots to be added.

Pittsburgh's First Casino Is Popular

The Greater Pittsburgh PA area's first casino has proven to be hugely popular. Opening day was June 11th and the casino has been busy every day since. The 82,000 square-foot gaming floor might be referred to as "temporary," but it is impressive with more than 1700 gaming machines in all denominations, including lots of the newest and most popular penny machines. There's also a good variety of video poker plus electronic blackjack machines. The all-you-can-eat all American cuisine restaurant is also popular, and there is a snack bar and a sports bar at the casino.

The new casino is located just 25 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, less than a mile east of I-79 at exit 41...take Racetrack Road east, then turn left into the casino entrance.

Meadows is an RV-Friendly casino, offering free parking for RVs in the lower lot. Signs directing RVs to the parking lot for oversized vehicles have not yet been installed, so RVs should watch for the first large parking area on the left as you enter the casino property (before going up the hill.) Shuttle service is available on request. Call for the shuttle at 724-225-9300.

The five-day-a-week harness racing program has been suspended during the initial phase of construction. The trotters have been relocated to protect them from exposure to the dust. But the casino remains open 24/7 while the new facility is being built.

Presque Isle Downs & Casino

Live thorughbred racing returned to Presque Isle Downs in Erie, PA this month. The inaugural race took place September 1st on a new and unique one-mile oval track. Presque Isle is the first Pennsylvania track to use a synthetic racing surface known as Tapeta. Developed by Trainer Michael Dickinson, Tapeta consists of sand with the addition of rubber and fibers coated with wax. Dickinson says the new synthetic surface will reduce injuries to horses and jockeys and is impervious to weather. Tapeta has held up well in desert conditions at 120 degrees and in the cold at minus 3 degrees. Tapeta (Latin for carpet) has a fluffy look and it appears the horses are more comfortable with the surface. Racing aficionados believe synthetic surfaces will revolutionize horse racing. Many of California's tracks have already been surfaced with synthetic materials. This year's abbreviated racing season at Presque Downs is scheduled for just 25 days this month. Racing will resume next May and will run for 5 months through September.

The casino at Presque Isle is one of the five new "slots parlors" to open this year at race tracks in Pennsylvania. Presque Isle Casino has 2,000 gaming machines and three restaurants. But the casino does not have the wide variety and mix of slot and video poker machines generally found at casinos of a similar size.

Presque Isle Casino is open every day, 9am to 4am Sunday through Thursday and 9am to 6am Friday and Saturday. RVs are welcome to dry camp in the lower parking lot, but overnight stays are limited to one night. Shuttle service is available continuously.

Another PA Casino Set To Open

The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in North Strabone is preparing for a grand opening next Tuesday. The casino will be the first in Southwestern Pennsylvania and the fifth casino in the state. Last week, testing of the equipment took place inside the slots parlour while paving and striping of the 1,435 parking spaces could be seen progressing outside. Many of the 425 new employees are currently completing their training programs.

The facility will run two "test" days - by invitation only - on Friday and Sunday. The Meadows 1,738 slot machines will open for public play on Tuesday, June 5th at 9am.

In Pennsylvania each machine must be programmed by manufacturers to return at least 85 percent in prize money to players over long-term use. The casinos already operating in Pennsylvania have, thus far, paid out slightly more than 90 percent overall from what players have put into the machines.

Pennsylvania Gets "Racinos"

This year the State of Pennsylvania opens casinos at five race tracks in the state. When casinos are added at existing race track facilities, they're commonly referred to as "racinos." Other states where you'll find racinos include West Viginia, Delaware, Iowa and Maine.

Pennsylvanis racinos include:
-- Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre that opened last November,
-- Harrah's at Chester Racetrack and Philadelphia Park in Bensalem, both opened in January,
-- Presque Isle Downs in Erie that opened in February,
-- Meadows Race Track near Pittsburgh, expected to open sometime this month.
-- The largest racino in the state will be located at Penn National's race course in Grantville, PA. The 365,000 square-foot facility, a unique integrated racing and gaming complex, will open next year.

Other casino locations, that are not at race tracks, will also be developed in the future in selected locations throughout the state. In Pennsylvania casinos will be known as Slots Parlors because live table games are not permitted (at least for now.) However, Philadelphia Park chalks up a first when it has the grand opening of the state's first electronic table games. The electronic table games "pit" officially opens to customers today (May 5th).

Electronic table games feature a dealer on a high definition 42-inch plasma screen who deals out an electronic hand of cards in front of each player's seat. The players bet their hands against the dealer's. The major benefit of this game -- called Royal Match 21 -- is that the bets of other players cannot influence another player's hand, nor diminish their chance of winning.

Also today the Kentucky Derby will be simulcast at most racinos and tracks throughout the country,