Representatives from Happy Valley Casino offered a first look at updated renderings and operational details for the new gambling venue at Nittany Mall during a Wednesday hearing in Harrisburg. The announcement coincided with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s unanimous approval for the casino to operate 600 slot machines and receive a certificate to host table games. The facility still needs to request the issuance of a slot machine license, which is expected later this year in December.
The 94,000-square-foot casino, to be located in the former Macy’s anchor spot at College Township’s mall, will operate 24/7 and maintain a smoke-free environment, setting it apart from other gaming venues in the state. General Manager Eric Pearson and attorney Michael Fabius of Ballard Spahr detailed plans for the new entertainment complex, emphasizing both gaming and hospitality offerings.
Dining Options Designed for Convenience and Variety
Happy Valley Casino will feature two on-site dining options alongside a central bar serving both the sit-down restaurant and the gaming floor. Aces Social, described by Pearson as a sports-themed sit-down restaurant, will offer large-screen televisions but is “not a sports bar.” Pearson added, “It’s a pretty broad menu.”
In addition, Lucky Break Cafe will operate as a quick-serve location similar to a compact food court. Guests can expect selections like pizza, burgers, sandwiches, ice cream, and coffee. Pearson explained, “When a player gets hungry, they have a place to go real quick to get something good to eat and get back to playing their games.” Both restaurants are owned and managed directly by Happy Valley Casino.
Slots and Table Games Strategy
The casino plans to launch with 600 slot machines, with the option to expand up to 750 as a category 4 casino, according to StateCollege.com. Pearson described opening with fewer machines as a strategic choice: “It’s really from a standpoint of being able to strategically field the right mix of games to the players that will come to Happy Valley Casino once we open… This initial order is our best guess. It’s a very educated guess; we’ve been doing this a long time.”
Most machines—86%—will be low-denomination, while medium- and high-denomination slots will share the remainder. Video reel slots will comprise 90%, with stepper slots at 6% and video poker 4%. The casino aims to eventually reach the full 750 slots within two to three years.
The gaming floor will also feature 30 table games spread across four pits, including blackjack, craps, roulette, mini baccarat, and various poker variants. Fabius confirmed the $2.5 million fee for table game authorization was paid Wednesday morning. Pearson noted, “We are very fortunate that Pennsylvania has a very robust and established casino industry, but we’re pretty far from the other properties in the commonwealth… We understand that we’re going to be training them and sort of growing our own, so to speak, which we’re very excited to do.”
Initially, the casino will not include a sportsbook or online gaming integration. Pearson explained, “We don’t have any active plans as of this moment for iGaming or sports betting whether online or retail… But it is something we constantly discuss and look at.”
Workforce and Security Plans
Happy Valley Casino will offer a free, 12-week Dealer School starting in December and January, paying accepted trainees $15 per hour for 20 hours of weekly training. Pearson emphasized the importance of well-trained staff, saying, “We only have one chance to make a first impression and we want to make that as best as we possibly can.”
The casino expects to employ roughly 300 people, with a staffing strategy that ensures round-the-clock monitoring of slots, tables, and security operations. Each slot machine will be monitored with pan, tilt, and zoom cameras, while all table games will have at least one fixed overhead camera.
Project Background and Community Impact
SC Gaming, led by Penn State alumnus Ira Lubert, initially secured the category 4 mini-casino license in 2020 with a $10 million bid and received approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in 2023. Legal challenges delayed the $120 million project until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court dismissed the case in 2024. Saratoga Casino Holdings LLC later partnered with SC Gaming for development and management, with conditional approval granted in June for Saratoga to assume majority ownership.
College Township, which opted to keep the site eligible for a category 4 casino in 2017, approved a land development plan in 2021. Despite concerns from some residents about gambling addiction, crime, and economic benefits, supporters highlighted existing online gaming and potential local revenue, estimating $1.4 to $1.6 million in annual tax revenue for the township.
Construction is ongoing, with completion expected by March 30, ahead of the planned April opening.
