NORTH STRABANE TOWN-SHIP - Judy Samples gambled away $20 on her visit Sunday to The Meadows Racetrack & Casino, but the Washington, Pa., resident wasn't worried about it.
"It was a fun $20 to lose," she said.
The temporary casino in North Strabane in Washington County opened to the public at 8:45 this morning after successful test runs for charity on Friday and Sunday. The opening of the gaming floor, featuring 1,738 slot machines, will follow a brief ceremony at 8:30 a.m.
"Once that ribbon is cut, we intend to get out of everybody's way," said David LaTorre, spokesman for the casino. "The two test nights have shown how excited people are for The Meadows to open."
Gamers were impressed by the $52 million temporary casino.
"It's gorgeous inside," said Karen Kopnitsky, 50, of Washington. "I didn't think it would be this nice for a temporary facility."
A permanent casino will open in early 2009.
An estimated 10,000 invited guests visited the casino on Friday and Sunday, LaTorre said. About $50,000 was raised for the Greater Washington Food Bank on Friday, while proceeds for Washington Hospital from gambling Sunday won't be known until today, LaTorre said.
Officials with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board were watching the test runs, and everything seemed to be on track for today's opening, LaTorre said.
The opening of the slots casino comes after voters in Ohio County, W.Va., voted Saturday to allow blackjack, poker and other table games at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center. The same measure was defeated in Jefferson County, home to Charles Town Races & Slots.
Voters in four West Virginia counties are deciding whether to allow table games as a way to compete with Pennsylvania's slots. Residents of Hancock County, home to Mountaineer Racetrack & Gaming Resort, will vote June 30, while those in Kanawha County will vote Aug. 11 on whether to allow them at Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming.
"You're always concerned about competition, but that's not a focus right now. Our focus right now is that our service is top-notch and ready to go ... ," LaTorre said. "They may have table games, but it will be our customer service and the quality of our entertainment that will really help to make The Meadows Racetrack & Casino extremely successful for Pennsylvania."
Table games wouldn't attract Bob Macovitz, 68, who traveled to North Strabane from Youngstown, Ohio, yesterday.
"I'm not a table game player," he said. "Even when I go to Vegas and that, I stay on the machines," he said.
Table games also don't interest Marigene Golinski, 45, of Canonsburg.
"The only table game I like is blackjack and I only played it once," she said. "I can play it on a machine in here."
Sisters Karen Kopnitsky, 50, and Debbie Smith, 55, both of Washington, said they're not drawn to table games.
"I like the slots. That would be all I play. I don't know how to gamble any other way," Smith said.
