WILKES-BARRE, Pa.
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority is close to securing financing for construction
of a $45 million hotel and convention center it now plans to own at its
racetrack casino in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The seven-story hotel project—scaled down
somewhat since it was first proposed in 2009— calls for 238 rooms and
convention space. Originally, it was to comprise nine stories and 300 rooms and
had a $60 million price tag.
Bobby Soper, president and chief executive officer of Mohegan Sun at Pocono
Downs, said June 11 that the authority—which also owns Mohegan Sun in
Uncasville—hopes to break ground by the end of the year and complete the
project 16 to 18 months later.
Pocono Downs, which has experienced revenue growth every year since its 2007
opening, has no hotel rooms. It is one of 11 gaming facilities in Pennsylvania,
which legalized slot machines in 2006 and table games in 2010. The Keystone
State has eclipsed Atlantic City, N.J., as the country's No. 2 gaming
destination behind Las Vegas.
The Mohegan gaming authority also plans to add a hotel at Mohegan Sun, its
Connecticut casino, where it pulled the plug on a major expansion project in
2008. The project called for a 39-story hotel tower.
