Live Casino rolls the dice, seeks license renewal for Westmoreland Mall

It seems Westmoreland County has hit the jackpot with the transformation of a mall department store into a thriving casino that attracts 1.1 million visitors a year.

Millions of dollars go in, and out, of Live Casino Pittsburgh at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield annually, officials said Wednesday during a license renewal public hearing before the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

“We’re committed to lifting the community, not letting Pittsburgh have everything,” said Sean Sullivan, casino general manager.

Live Casino Pittsburgh, operated by Stadium Casino Westmoreland, is seeking to renew its license. It opened in November 2020 in a former Bon-Ton store at the mall. It is classified as a Category 4 facility owned The Cordish Cos. in Maryland. The hearing was held at the Hempfield Township building.

Since 2020, the casino has raked in $450 million in gambling revenue and paid more than $200 million in taxes to the state, Sullivan said.

Westmoreland County and Hempfield have gotten $9 million each in local share funds during the same time frame.

Earlier this year, 53 Westmoreland municipalities and agencies received grant funding through gambling revenue.

The facility’s 750 slot machines paid out $75 million in 2024, Sullivan said. There are also 40 live table games, a sportsbook, entertainment and dining options, as well as outdoor events during warm weather.

“There’s a lot of money going through the machines, a lot of it being given back and a lot of winners,” he said.

The casino paid $1.37 million in 2024 to lease space at Westmoreland Mall. It employs 553 people at an average annual pay of $44,000, though many employees earn tips on top of that.

The facility and its employees support local nonprofits and organizations by volunteering or opening space to their events.

Westmoreland Mall senior general manager Tom Gerber testified on behalf of the casino that mall sales increased 10% in 2024 and they continue to rise so far in 2025.

“Although we cannot specifically attribute all of this to the casino, the casino brings the traffic,” he said. “It definitely helps.”

The casino paid $46,000 in fines related to compliance issues in 2022 and 2023, according to information presented to the board.

There were no such problems in 2024 or so far in 2025, Sullivan said. State police Lt. Robert Copechal, commander of the Bureau of Gaming Enforcement’s western section, said the most common offense by patrons is disorderly conduct and harassment. That’s typical behavior at casinos and those types of incidents have been decreasing since 2021.

“Most of the stats that I reviewed are trending in the downward direction,” he testified.

Board Commissioner George Dunbar, a former state representative, asked Sullivan about the age of visitors.

“We view the casino as an opportunity to essentially ‘get younger,’” Dunbar said.

Midweek slot players typically are older, but the entertainment options seem to draw a different crowd, Sullivan said.

“The second floor is a tremendous attraction to younger people,” he said. “That cowboy bar and even the events we do up there do draw younger people, and that’s a part of our design. We don’t want to become the old folks home.”

Township Supervisor Doug Weimer said gambling revenue has been used to buy two new fire engines and flood protection equipment. The casino has become a community spot for concerts, events and celebrations, he said.

“Things that not long ago would’ve meant a trip out of our county to Pittsburgh or out of state,” he said.

The gambling board will vote on the license renewal at a later date.