COLLEGE TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTAJ) – College Township set aside time for a special update about the Nittany Mall Casino at its Sept. 19 meeting, and the community had every seat filled.
With Bally's no longer being part of the project, many hoped that it could mean pumping the brakes on the casino. However, during the meeting, the future owner of the casino Eric Pearson presented the opposite.
"The project is unchanged. There is no change in our timelines, our schedules, all of the work that we've been doing over the past 4 years to prepare for the project to start," Pearson said.
He said Bally's had little stake in the project to begin with, so its departure had little to no negative consequences for the casino. According to him, the casino is still aiming to open its doors in 2026.
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With this new information, Andrew Shaffer, a concerned resident, says that they may need "shift" their focus beyond lobbying the township to put an end to the casino. He said they want to move more towards educating the public about the dangers of gambling.
Pearson also heard from residents in College Township's council room. Shaffer said he was "encouraged" to hear that Pearson is still willing to get feedback and work with him on making the casino a safe space.