Philly Pinacle Project

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed)
Jun 2nd 2006 at 2:04PM

Philadelphia has plans for a new, waterfront casino complex, but has not yet decided on a design. Among the submissions for the final design, the standout is Pinnacle Entertainment's huge 260,000-sq foot entertainment center, which would be situated along the Delaware River. Pinnacle is the lead in the project not only from an aesthetic perspective, but because it caters to non-gamblers as well as those who like to play the slots. Though it has the same 3,000 slot machines and 3,000 parking spaces as the other submissions, it offers and unusually ambitious and appealing design, with movie theaters, restaurants, concert venues and either boating or ice skating, depending on the season. The casino will also be set back further from the surrounding neighborhood, disguised with trees and parks. It has an estimated at a final price of $300-$400 million, but the price tag will not be what sways the city for or against a particular casino: it's the extra amenities, which Pinnacle's project delivers in spades.