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Maryland Slots Casino Finishes Dry Run Successfully

Posted on September 27th, 2010

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The state of Maryland finally had a trial run of its first ever slots casino during the weekend. With the success of the trial run, officials speculate that the facility may, after all, open days before its scheduled opening. For the casino’s dry run, the number of invitations reached close to 1,400. Guests enjoyed the revelry and were the first to lay their hands on the 1,500 new slot machines housed in the Hollywood Casino Perryville. This Saturday run was a requirement of the Maryland State Lottery Agency for it to do an evaluation on how the operation of the first of the five slots machine facilities to open in the state.

The event, which was strictly by invitation, served as the casino industry’s baptism of fire in the state, a testing of the waters for an industry that is expected to offer thousands of employment opportunities to the residents of Maryland, not to mention the millions of dollars it will funnel to the state’s coffers. The opening of the facility, which measures 34,000 square feet, is expected to rope the residents back to playing in their own state, with the possibility of also attracting more visitors who are traveling along Interstate 95. The gamblers of the state have gotten used to going out of state for decades that it would be curious to see if they would stay put this time to patronize their local casino. Based on the success of the dry run, it looks like they are welcoming the idea with arms wide open.

Donald Fry, the chairman of the Video Lottery Facility Location Commission of Maryland and president of the Greater Baltimore Committee, had this to say: “This is the first of what we expect to see in the state of Maryland over time. Obviously gaming is very competitive and people are looking for whatever the differentiation is. The fact that we are just entering the field is something people are going to be curious about and that will bring them out to see what product we have in the state.” It has been more or less 50 years since the state has last seen a legal slot machine. After being banned in the ‘60s, the new century offered the opportunity for pro-gambling parties to push for the comeback of slots to Maryland. Years of debate, plus the pressure of seeing neighboring states Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia benefiting from revenues of slot machines being played by Maryland residents have convinced the state that it is high time they bring back the players and slot machines back to their turf.

A referendum in 2008 affirmed this sentiment, as it approved five locations scattered in the state to host slot machines. So far, only two facilities are scheduled to open soon: the Perryville facility and the “racino” in the Ocean Downs racetrack on the Eastern Shore. Construction in two other locations, Baltimore and Arundel Mills, are currently being delayed with legal challenges. Meanwhile, the fifth site in Rocky Gap, in the western region of the state, has yet to attract an acceptable bidder, at least to the standards of the Video Lottery Facility Location Commission. The movie-themed casino in Perryvile has generated good buzz, and officials were quick to proclaim the initial run a success. The general manager of the facility, Himbert J. Sinopoli, said “If the state signs off, we would potentially look at opening a few days earlier.”

The public who went to the casino on Saturday in the hopes of playing were disappointed, though, as the event, as mentioned earlier, was closed to the public. The proceeds of the dry run were shared by three local charities: the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford and Cecil counties and the Community Fire Company of Perryville. ,For the ones that went, the casino did please them, but of course left fans of mainstay casino table games like roulette and blackjack pining for their favorites. One of the attendees, Vernon Thompson, who also happens to be the director of economic development of Cecil County, said, “There’s the ever-optimistic and hopeful side of me that takes a look at both the casino and the surrounding development that’s anticipated and hopes that this serves as a catalyst for further development in the western side of the county.”