The sale of Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem by Las Vegas Sands Corp. the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, owner of Wind Creek Hospitality, will be the subject of a special meeting at 1 p.m. May 29 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Gaming Control Board Chairman David Barasch said at the start of the board’s meeting last week.
A vote on the sale, which officials of the Alabama tribe say will be followed by a $90 million hotel expansion immediately, has been delayed twice due to the multitude of sports betting applications, truck stop gaming issues and mini-casino applications the board has been handling, according to a board spokesman.
Meanwhile, more details emerged last week on the tribe’s plans for the property, on the land of the former Bethlehem Steel plant. In filings with the gaming board revealed by the Lehigh Valley Live website, Wind Creek Hospitality laid out plans to turn the former Bethlehem Steel No. 2 Machine Shop into a 300,000-square-foot indoor adventure/water park and hotel. Conceptual renderings show the long, vacant building transformed into a gigantic greenhouse-like structure between the SteelStacks and casino.
The tribe has pledged $100 million for the Machine Shop transformation, in addition to the $90 million hotel expansion. However, the Allentown Morning Call reported last week that the Poarch Band has set aside $250 million for the water park and adjoining hotel.
Within the park will be about 105,000 square feet of water rides, along with other activities like rock-climbing and zip lines, according to the plans submitted with the state.
Wind Creek told the gaming board it wants to begin the improvements as soon as it closes on the $1.3 billion sale of the South Side Bethlehem property.
