CLEARFIELD – At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, the Lawrence Township Supervisors gave a press release regarding Category 4 mini-casinos.
“Lawrence Township Supervisors, along with Clearly Ahead Development, welcome the opportunity to host a mini-casino.
“Our Commerce Park, located just off of Interstate 80 in Lawrence Township, would provide a potential casino the ideal location to call home.
“A mini-casino has the potential to employ a few hundred people and generate revenue for the township. Additionally, we are excited that this will spark additional growth in the township and surrounding areas.
“Lawrence Township will continue to work with Clearly Ahead Development on this process and provide updates as they become available.”
When asked by the press if the letters the supervisors sent to the various casino developers in the state had yielded any results, the supervisors said the only response was that one, Presque Isle Downs, replied that the letter would be passed on to the appropriate people.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, the next Category 4 license auction is Feb. 21.
The casinos are small, with only 750 slot machines and 30 tables.
Supervisor Jeremy Ruffner said he knows some people “pooh-pooh” a casino in the area, but there would be “an astronomical spin-off” with restaurants, hotels and other service jobs.
“We have everything they need for one,” he said, adding that the problems would be transitional ones – people coming off of Interstate 80 and then returning.
Supervisor Randy Powell added that Clearfield has one of the busiest interchanges on the interstate, “I’d say they’re fools not to build here.”
