Philly Parx Casino Opens To Customers

BENSALEM, Pa. - A new, permanent casino that opened to customers Friday morning in Bensalem, Bucks County, could generate more money for Pennsylvania.

Fox 29's Steve Keeley was live at the Philadelphia Parx Casino as the doors opened at 6 a.m. and spoke to the first patron through the doors.

The casino replaces a temporary slots parlor that had been open for a few years at the race track.

Parx employs 450 people, and building it created about 700 construction jobs.

Fox 29 got a sneak peak inside the casino on Thursday.

Carrie Nork-Minelli, a spokeswoman for the casino, said it has "a little bit of everything -- the gaming, the entertainment, the dining -- a full experience for people to come here and have a great day, a great weekend."

There are not yet any table games insid the building, but there is room for them.

"We are absolutely ready for table games. There is a plan in place, and we're just thrilled and excited and hope it passes. And, as soon as it does, we're moving on it," Nork-Minelli said.

The casino has been extra lucky not to have to compete with the two slots parlors that are planned for Philadelphia but have yet to open. One of those may open in Fishtown at the earliest.

The opening of Philly Parx comes as we're quickly learning how vital the casino industry is to Pennsylvania's financial future. The neon lights and losing bets of all the state's casinos are really very crucial, Keeley reported.

Gov. Ed Rendell is threatening to lay off up to a thousand state employees if lawmakers fail to approve by Jan. 8 legislation that brings table games to Pennsylvania slots parlors.

Rendell says revenue from table games will help balance the state budget.