Happy Valley Casino Completes Trial Run, Launches in Full on Monday

Happy Valley Casino near Penn State’s campus in Pennsylvania is officially open for business.

Following a successful two-day trial run, the Centre Country property was approved by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) for regular business operations. Monday, April 27, its first full day of business, marked the official launch of the state’s 18th retail casino. 

Visitors will find the destination in the former Macy’s store at the Nittany Mall, just three miles from the PSU campus.

Happy Valley Casino joins the PA casino market

Happy Valley Casino, the state’s fifth Category 4 casino, was described by PGCB Communications Director Doug Harbach as a “utilization of old retail space.” The property already contains 600 slot machines and 30 live-dealer table games and blends traditional casino attractions with modern gaming innovations.

Live-dealer options include craps, roulette, baccarat, poker, and blackjack. Most betting minimums are expected to be $15, per StateCollege.com. 

A casino official expressed joy with the official opening of the casino, which is intended to revitalize the surrounding area.

“This is an incredibly exciting moment for our team and the entire community as we open the doors to Happy Valley Casino,” general manager Eric Pearson said in a statement. “We’re proud to introduce a vibrant new destination where guests can enjoy top-tier gaming, great food and rewarding experiences. From day one, our focus has been on creating an atmosphere that’s welcoming, energetic and full of opportunity—and we can’t wait for our guests to be part of it.”

The casino is not yet fully mature. It is allowed to house up to 750 slot machines and up to 40 table games after one year.

Pearson said last week that the remaining gaming space will be filled based on customer feedback.

“What games we activate, we call that our spread, which games we bring online with the limits we offer on them, and that’s something that we sort of dynamically manage as the day goes and as traffic changes,” Pearson said last week.

The early outlook

Happy Valley Casino was years in the making and went through multiple setbacks due to changes in developers. The project also drew public criticism, although Pearson claimed that it was based on misinformation.

“A lot of what that group has gotten spun up on is really a lot of bad intel,” he said. “They sorta go on things, or make assumptions about things, or cite other sources that really have no applicability to what we’re doing here.”

The previous test period was mandated by the PGCB for all new casinos. It serves as a time to test gaming machines, reporting, accounting, communications, employee training, and other functions necessary for casino operations.

With that out of the way, the casino may now begin its official journey as a full-fledged gambling den. Estimates suggest that the local city of College Township will receive at least $1.2 million in annual gaming taxes from the casino, and impressive performances could result in more table games and slot machines being added to its gaming floor.

The casino already employs approximately 380 full-time and part-time workers. That includes 96 graduates of the casino’s 12-week Dealer School, which has a new session beginning in the summer.

“The idea is maybe it can spur some regrowth into the business community of the mall,” Harbach said.