Charlestown Is Definitely on Hold

[aslan]

xxxCharlestownxxx Is Definitely on Hold

xxxCharlesxxx xxxTownxxx Races and Slots is definitely on hold for the time being as far as its table games go. I posted this in another thread, but I thought it worthy of its own thread so that no one will venture there without checking first.

xxxCharlesxxx xxxTownxxx Races & Slots (CT), xxxHollywoodxxx Casino, started off with a lot of fanfare, but it was stopped dead in its tracks by what seems like W VA state bureaucracy. It seems that the state requires a lot of rigmarole when it comes to approving a dealer to work in a casino. Background investigations seem to be the sticking point. A "suit" at CT told me that they had tons of dealers, but that the state would not give them the final okay to put them to work due to a backlog in their investigatory process. Reading between the lines, this sounds like government downsizing due to the recession caught them short-handed, or the other obvious possibility, good old-fashioned government inefficiency.

Anyway, now a week after its grand opening, CT has only about 8 of its 40 some blackjack tables open for business. I visited yesterday to find only two $25 tables, the rest being $50 and $100. Within a half hour (2 p.m.), they raised the two $25 tables to $50, no grandfathering. Surprisingly, even after a week of these shenanigans, they are managing to keep all their open tables full. But I did notice a drop in the number of persons waiting to get a seat. When questioned, most people kibitzing the games were just being entertained by the wild gambling going on--they themselves had come for some $5 and $10 blackjack action like they had experienced in AC and Las Vegas.

For those of you who are looking for a good $50 or $100 game, this might be the right time. The two tables I watched and back-counted, both of them $50, had decent rules (8-deck, S17, SA1, DOA, DAS, No surrender). PM me for other details.

For the rest, including myself, my advice is to check here, and if there is no update, call CT before wasting a trip.

PA's slow opening of 11 casinos* now seems suddenly timely. It's an extra hour or two from the Washington, DC area, but maybe worth checking out. But based on the W VA fiasco, I for one will call first before visiting. But don't give up on W VA entirely. It looks like they will have something good going eventually, and I still have my hopes for double deck, as I believe they have in Wheeling. But I'll believe it when I see it.

*I got this number from another member and may refer to the opening of table games, sometimes in existing casinos. The following may be helpful:

The Pennsylvania Casino Industry is growing rapidly. Nine of 14 PA casinos have opened with more to follow in the coming months. Millions of consumers are projected to patronize the PA casinos generating over $3 Billion per year in gross revenue, making Pennsylvania the third largest casino market in the United States.

Pennsylvania casinos are open or planned for these locations: Bensalem, PA - Parx Casino and Philadelphia Park Racetrack (Archive copy)
Bethlehem, PA - Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem (Archive copy)
Chester, PA - Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack (Archive copy)
Erie, PA - Presque Isle Downs and Casino (Archive copy)
Grantville, PA - Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course (Archive copy)
King of Prussia, PA - Valley Forge Convention Center (Archive copy)
Mount Pocono, PA - Mount Airy Casino Resort (Archive copy)
New Castle, PA - Valley View Downs and Casino (Archive copy)
Philadelphia, PA (North) - SugarHouse Casino (Archive copy)
Philadelphia, PA (South) - Foxwoods Casino Philadelphia (Archive copy)
Pittsburgh, PA - Rivers Casino (Archive copy)
Washington, PA - The Meadows Racetrack and Casino (Archive copy)
Wilkes-Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs (Archive copy)

http://www.visitpacasinos.com/

 

[Zero]

Conspiracy

Reading between the lines, this sounds like government downsizing due to the recession caught them short-handed, or the other obvious possibility, good old-fashioned government inefficiency.

There's another possibility. Not everyone was in favor of table games in WV, and some of those people may have some control over the clearance process for new dealers. In short, this governmental dragging of the feet could be intentional. Or perhaps my tin foil hat may be showing. :joker:

 

[aslan]

There's another possibility. Not everyone was in favor of table games in WV, and some of those people may have some control over the clearance process for new dealers. In short, this governmental dragging of the feet could be intentional. Or perhaps my tin foil hat may be showing. :joker:

I hadn't thought of that. The bill to approve table games in xxxCharlesxxx xxxTownxxx did not pass two years ago. Likely it passed by only a slim margin this year. You may have nailed it. :1st:

 

[BookerPA]

Ct

Oh Master of the Bent Cue, I believe that the gaming commissions of the new horses in the race, DE, WVA and PA are overwhelmed by the number of background checks that have to be performed. I know in PA that they have engaged other agencies, i.e. PLCB, PA St. Police, Atty. Gen's Office, etc., to assist in the background checks of the 3,000 plus new job applicants, dealers, security personnel and so on to get their respective states into the new gold rush.

 

[aslan]

Oh Master of the Bent Cue, I believe that the gaming commissions of the new horses in the race, DE, WVA and PA are overwhelmed by the number of background checks that have to be performed. I know in PA that they have engaged other agencies, i.e. PLCB, PA St. Police, Atty. Gen's Office, etc., to assist in the background checks of the 3,000 plus new job applicants, dealers, security personnel and so on to get their respective states into the new gold rush.

Could be you're right, but I don't recall delays in Delaware, and two years ago, I don't recall delays in the other W VA casinos. This did not begin the other day; they've had a long time to get it done, and I'm sure Penn National based their opening date on assurances from the state that they would have it done by opening day. No casino company wants to start off on the wrong foot; they had to have every expectation that promises would be kept and that sufficient resources would be applied as needed. But, you may be right. Who knows?