Apr 20 2006
Mount Airy Resort & Casino today named LPCiminelli Inc., an award-winning construction management firm with more than 40 years of experience, to oversee the building of the $360 million resort and casino complex on the site of the former Mount Airy Lodge.
LPCiminelli brings an extensive background in gaming and entertainment projects and has experience in managing the construction of nearly a dozen gaming facilities in New York, Delaware, West Virginia, Florida and Arkansas.
"This firm has a proven track record of meeting deadlines and completing projects on time," said Louis A. DeNaples, the northeastern Pennsylvania businessman who owns Mount Airy and is seeking a gaming license for the site. "Their expertise will help Mount Airy become the first stand-alone casino to open its doors in Pennsylvania. The resort and casino will be built to reflect the architectural heritage of the Poconos, which is a symbol of our larger commitment to ensuring that our facility benefits the entire Pocono community."
Based in Buffalo, N.Y., LPCiminelli managed the construction and renovation of major gaming and racing projects at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center, Wheeling, W.Va.; Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack, Farmington, N.Y.; Fairgrounds Gaming and Raceway, Hamburg, N.Y.; Seneca Niagara Casino Hotel, Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Southland Greyhound Park, West Memphis, Ark.; and Batavia Downs Gaming, Batavia, N.Y.
LPCiminelli is currently working on Tioga Downs Gaming and Raceway, Nichols, N.Y.; Saratoga Gaming & Raceway, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Harrington Raceway - Midway Slots, Harrington, Del.; and Daytona Kennel Club, Daytona Beach, Fla.
"We are extremely excited about this job," said LPCiminelli Senior Vice President Joseph Mannarino. "Growing up, I spent summers in the Poconos, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to give back to the Pocono community. Under the leadership of owner Louis DeNaples, we are going to build the very best gaming facility in the state."
LPCiminelli, an ISO 9001:2000 certified firm, has provided quality construction solutions to a growing list of clients for more than 40 years, and has been recognized with many industry awards including the prestigious Build America Award and seven Build New York Awards. The firm's full range of services include program management, construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facilities management for clients in the K-12 and higher education, medical, skilled nursing, senior living, government, commercial, gaming and hospitality and industrial market sectors.
The first phase of the new Mount Airy Resort & Casino will include a 200-room luxury resort hotel, a gaming and entertainment complex that would house 3,000 slot machines, four restaurants, two live entertainment lounges, an 18-hole championship golf course (already in operation), an indoor pool, spa, retail shops, and a covered parking facility.
Phase I construction is estimated at $300 million, which would be followed in Phase II with an expanded casino to accommodate a total of 5,000 slot machines, an additional 200 luxury hotel rooms, and additional conference, entertainment and parking facilities. The resort and casino would be the centerpiece of the 890-acre site that also features 550 acres of permanently preserved open space.
The project will create 300 construction jobs and 650 full-time jobs when complete. During its first year of operation, Mount Airy Resort & Casino will generate $83 million in state and local taxes. That figure is expected to grow to $161 million by the resort's fifth year in operation.
Spending during the resort's first year of operation is estimated at $57 million, which will in turn generate $69.3 million in additional economic activity, much of it throughout the region. Those numbers are projected to grow to $104 million in spending by Year Five, which will generate $134 million in economic output.
The planned Mount Airy Resort & Casino already is well ahead of its competitors in seeking a gaming license for the region. No major zoning or building variances will be needed to construct the facility and 88 buildings on the site have already been demolished, including the former Mount Airy Lodge. The project team has also made substantial progress in obtaining the necessary utility, land use, and permit approvals. That includes the complete rehabilitation of an existing Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection permitted wastewater treatment plant with the capacity to treat 220,000 gallons per day, well above the projected needs of the resort in its first phase. Other key milestones include the completion of environment stormwater infiltration tests, test borings, and comprehensive traffic analysis, as well as the approval of the sewage planning module for the site by the Department of Environmental Protection.