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Valley Forge Casino Resort's chief executive offers a look at the new casino

Describing it as a casino "like no other in Southeastern Pennsylvania," the chief executive of Valley Forge Casino Resort gave a walking tour of the interior of the nearly completed gaming and entertainment venue Tuesday, about a month in advance of its March 31 official opening.

Saverio R. Scheri III, president and CEO of the nearly completed Valley Forge Casino Resort, which is due to open March 31. (Akira Suwa / Staff Photographer)
Saverio R. Scheri III, president and CEO of the nearly completed Valley Forge Casino Resort, which is due to open March 31. (Akira Suwa / Staff Photographer)Read more

Describing it as a casino "like no other in Southeastern Pennsylvania," the chief executive of Valley Forge Casino Resort gave a walking tour of the interior of the nearly completed gaming and entertainment venue Tuesday, about a month in advance of its March 31 official opening.

Unveiled were the names and themes of the resort's four new sit-down restaurants, still under construction (Pacific Prime, Viviano, Valley Tavern, and Nosh Deli); its three micro-restaurants (Asianoodle, Italian Market, and American Grill), and an entertainment venue (7 The Nightclub). Construction crews also were at work on Center Bar, described by casino resort president and CEO Saverio "Sal" R. Scheri III as "a high-energy fun bar" in the heart of the gaming hall.

Valley Tavern and Nosh Deli, in the main lobby of the Radisson Hotel, are set to open March 17. Asianoodle, Italian Market, and American Grill are to open March 31, while Viviano, Pacific Prime, and Cameo - the bar-lounge that connects the two restaurants - will open in April.

"We're offering a whole different atmosphere here as part of the resort experience," Scheri said of what will be Pennsylvania's 11th casino.

An upscale feel comes from the casino's feng shui design - clean lines, curves, and high ceilings by Floss Barber Inc. Table dealers will be clad in tuxedo-like outfits, and Scheri pointed to where high-limit slots and high-limit tables will be situated on the 33,222-square-foot gambling floor.

The $150 million casino in Upper Merion Township will have up to 600 slot machines and 50 table games, including blackjack and craps, with the option of adding 15 tables for monthly poker tournaments.

As the first of two casino resorts to open in Pennsylvania, Valley Forge is required by law to have an access plan. Gambling will be allowed for patrons of the Valley Forge Convention Center and its amenities who spend at least $10 at any of its restaurants, bars, and retail shops, or stay at one of the center's two hotels, or use the spa.

Anyone attending a meeting, convention, or other event at the Convention Center also can enter the casino, as can those with seasonal or annual dining and entertainment memberships there.

When the doors open next month, pending final approval by the state Gaming Control Board, Valley Forge will emerge onto a fiercely competitive gaming landscape that includes Parx in Bensalem, Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack, and SugarHouse along the Delaware River.

And just two days after Valley Forge debuts, the $2.4 billion Revel Casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk begins an eight-week preview for guests.

David Fiorenza, a professor of economics at Villanova University's School of Business, said the casino would bring both benefits and concerns to the Valley Forge area.

"Usually when a casino comes to town, the local municipality or city will ask them to make certain improvements," he said. "Upper Merion will receive a lot of traffic improvements, including sidewalks, storm-sewer inlets, and repaving of streets."

Montgomery County stands to receive 3 percent of the hotel tax from the casino's two hotels, and Upper Merion will get an annual contribution of $75,000 to upwards of $150,000 a year from the casino as the host municipality. The township also will receive 1 percent of gross revenues from table games.

"But with that, there are the social costs," Fiorenza said, "including the possibility of gambling addictions, which has a cost to society."

Scheri said the new casino would go after local patrons, as well as conventioneers.

As she checked into the Valley Forge Casino Resort Tower hotel lobby just after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Welida Silva, 28, from southern Brazil, said the new casino would be something she would check out the next time she was there for a business meeting.

"It's a good thing to have," she said. "I play the slots."