Sands to be Largest Slot Machine Casino in State

Other casinos might have their slot machines on line before the Sands, but they are not in the least bit worried – neither is Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. Callahan is aware that the Sands chose to hold off on their slot machines until they had their permanent casino up and running and he thinks it was the right move. He believes that when the casino is finished people won’t be able to resist.

However, before Sands can open they have to demolish the buildings that they cannot use, and they have to build more, and they have to retrofit the ones they are planning on using for their slot machines. Phase One alone is going to cost them $560 million – then they will have to put out another $49 million for the ArtsQuest performing arts center and PBS studio, $50 million to create apartments out of old offices, $22 million for the National Museum of Industrial History, or the millions for preservation of the blast furnaces. Many think this is quite a bit to handle in addition to bringing in slot machines.

The slot machine casino must file plans for everything that has to do with the casino, and it must be done by March or they will not be able to make their deadlines. At this point they are on schedule, and the Public Works department says they have no reason to suspect otherwise.

Some of the restoration work can happen before the project gets the Planning Commission’s approval – and they only need demolition permits to start taking down the ones they don’t need. Construction should only take about 15 months.

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