Cordish's $700 million Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia sets opening date
After more than five years in the making, the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia has set an opening date in the Stadium District, becoming the latest component of an ongoing entertainment and gaming destination in the city.
The $700 million development from Baltimore-based Cordish Cos. is located at 900 Packer Ave. and will open to the general public on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m, pending approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Reservation-only preview days for Live! Rewards Club members begin Jan. 19 at 4 p.m.
People can book reservations at the luxury 12-story, 208-room hotel beginning Wednesday. Rooms begin at $299 on weekdays and $399 on weekends, the casino's website shows. The new gaming center is located a little more than an hour and a half drive from Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
“We are beyond excited to go Live! in Philadelphia and bring this world-class gaming and entertainment destination to the heart of the Stadium District,” said Joe Billhimer, executive vice president of Cordish Gaming Group, the project developer that is a division of Cordish Cos.
Cordish Cos. similarly developed Philadelphia's Xfinity Live! entertainment venue, located next to the new casino. The developer is also behind Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in Hanover.
Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is now the second casino in Philadelphia, joining Fishtown's Rivers Casino Philadelphia, which last year celebrated its 10-year anniversary as the city's first such venue. Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia also becomes the fifth casino in the nearby region, joining Montgomery County's Valley Forge Casino Resort, Harrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester, and Bensalem's Parx Casino in addition to Rivers.
The new 510,000-square-foot casino and hotel will feature more than 2,100 slots and electronic table games, 150 live-action table games, a 29-table poker room and a FanDuel-branded sportsbook. Pre-dating the Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia development and its sister project in Pittsburgh, Montco-based Valley Forge Casino Resort was the only Pennsylvania casino to partner with FanDuel for its sportsbook, to which the suburban gaming venue has previously partially attributed its success that reached new heights pre-pandemic.
The new South Philly casino will also sport a six-room event center that includes 15,000 square feet of customizable meeting space to accommodate groups ranging in size from 12 people to 1,000. The development has an attached multi-level parking facility and adjacent surface parking.
Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is anticipated to generate upwards of $2 billion in economic stimulus for the city. It is additionally expected to fuel $100 million in tax revenue for Philly in its first five years of operation, including $25 million for the Philadelphia School District.
Throughout development, the facility has provided 5,000 construction jobs. It is still hiring to fill up to 2,000 hospitality industry positions at a time when the local sector has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Applications are available here.
The much-awaited casino has announced a culinary lineup composed of the following concepts:
The Prime Rib - The iconic Baltimore-born steakhouse is opening an outpost at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia after the brand had a 22-year run at the Warwick Hotel with a location that has since been severed from the corporate entity.
Sports & Social Philly - This American grill sports restaurant will feature a FanDuel Sportsbook and Lounge retail location, a 52-foot LED display and 24 televisions for sports viewing. The menu will include dishes like a short rib cheese steak, local beers and specialty cocktails.
Luk Fu - This Southeast Asian-inspired concept will serve traditional dishes like dim sum and wok-fried noodles. It will also feature private karaoke rooms.
Center Bar - Located in the heart of the gaming floor, this concept will offer 360-degree views of the venue, giant LED TV screens for sports viewing, communal tables, lounge seating and live music.
R Bar - an interactive bar featuring electronic table games and a 40-foot long video screen.
10th Street Market - This food hall is designed to be a hub for quick eats and late-night bites with a focus on local Philly favorites, and it will feature a 24/7 bar, too. The market will house locations from:
Lorenzo and Sons Pizza - The menu from this South Philly staple, which dates back to 1970, will include gourmet pizzas made popular at the brand’s West Chester location.
Sang Kee Noodle Bar & Kitchen - This noodle bar comes from the owners of the landmark Chinatown restaurant Sang Kee Peking Duck House. Menu items include classic noodles and dim sum selections, General Tso's Chicken, and beef and broccoli.
Termini Brothers Bakery - The nearly century-old beloved South Philadelphia bakery will serve up its famous family recipes for cannoli, cookies and cakes.
Two concepts from Emmy award-winning celebrity chef Guy Fieri: Guy’s Burger Joint, slinging burgers, fries and shakes, and Guy Fieri’s Taco Joint, featuring scratch-made tacos, margaritas and sandwiches.
Morty’s Deli - a New York-style deli offering sandwiches, sides and desserts.
Luckie’s Liquor - the 24-hour bar.
The casino also plans to host two invitation-only charity nights on Jan. 16-17 from which proceeds will be donated to Philadelphia-area nonprofits.
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