Few dozen on hand for grand opening of Live! Casino at Westmoreland Mall
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About 30 people lined up at Westmoreland Mall early Tuesday morning, excited to be some of the first to experience the grand opening of Live! Casino Pittsburgh.
“I just wanted to be here to check it out and see what’s going on,” said Richard Feleppa, 61, of New Stanton, who arrived in advance of the 6 a.m. opening.
After about a year of construction, the $150 million casino, owned by The Cordish Cos. in Maryland, opened to the public, offering 30 table games, 150 slot machines and restaurant and entertainment facilities. The more than 100,000-square-foot space takes the place of the former Bon-Ton store at the Hempfield mall.
Around 5 a.m., the casino floor remained fairly quiet, as staff finalized some last-minute touches. Daily tasks that will soon become the norm were being completed, like workers dropping money out of table game boxes and slot machines.
Trial runs hosted before the official opening helped prepare staff for the influx of people expected Tuesday — and beyond.
“Opening day’s when everybody involved can breathe a sigh of relief,” General Manager Sean Sullivan said. “It’s like we made it. It’s exciting, everything came together, nothing bad happened. The sun will come up, and everybody can feel good about what they accomplished.”
Sullivan noted that he is not surprised by the number of people who showed up when the doors opened.
Frank Semplice, 69, said he came from Pittsburgh.
“It’s a new casino, and you figure you have different luck,” Semplice said. “It beats sitting around the house. … Keeps your mind off of everything. It feels safe, everyone has their masks on. It should be a good day.”
Guests were greeted by signs reminding them to wear face masks, and they were required to have their temperatures taken by a thermal camera.
In addition to the casino floor, guests could experience Sports & Social Steel City, which features a 45-foot television screen. The 445-seat restaurant and bar space on the second floor also includes a four-lane bowling alley, Skee-ball, a golf simulator, darts, basketball hoops, pingpong tables and shuffleboard.
Also on the second floor are a banquet space and PBR Pittsburgh, which is set to open in 2021.
On the first floor is the casino space and sportsbook, as well as Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen + Bar, a sticking point for Tracy Peterson, 46, of Connellsville, one of the first people into the building during the grand opening.
“We were hoping that Guy Fieri might be at the restaurant,” Peterson said. “That’s the main reason we came, so we’re pretty excited.”
While the celebrity chef is not scheduled to make an appearance, his 1967 Chevy Camaro was expected to arrive. Also scheduled for the evening were show girls and a floor aerialist.
Peterson said she hopes the casino helps draw traffic to the mall, which has seen a slew of store closures over the past few years and whose parent company recently filed for bankruptcy.
“It’s pretty exciting to have it here,” Peterson said of the casino, which will be open 24/7.
For Feleppa, he’s hopeful the casino will provide jobs in the community for years to come.
On opening day, however, he was simply focused on having a good time.
“Play a little blackjack, a little sportsbook and have a little fun,” he said.
