Dancers participate in the October 10, 2019, grand reopening of Wind Creek Bethlehem, a commercial gaming facility owned and operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Photo: Wind Creek Bethlehem

Openings & Closings

Poarch Band of Creek Indians plans $90 million expansion of casino hotel

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians announced plans to expand its commercial casino in Pennsylvania, just months after taking over the facility.

According to news reports, Wind Creek Hospitality, the tribe's gaming and entertainment arm, will spend $90 million on a new hotel at the Wind Creek Bethlehem. The expansion will bringing another 270 rooms to the property, nearly doubling the total number.

The hotel isn't the only project in the works either. Wind Creek plans to add an event space and an indoor water and adventure park to the casino, bringing the total investment to $190 million at the site.

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The Alabama-based tribe won regulatory approval to take over the casino from a prior operator in May. The facility held a grand reopening in October.

The casino is about 62 miles northwest of city center in Philadelphia, the most populous municipality in the state.

Wind Creek Hospitality runs three gaming facilities on the Poarch Creek Reservation in Alabama. Additionally, the firm operates commercial racetracks in Alabama and Florida, manages a casino in Nevada for the Washoe Tribe and recently acquired two gaming resorts in the Caribbean.

Wind Creek is also bidding on a commercial gaming license in Illinois.