The Cordish Companies have officially opened Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, the new world-class gaming, hotel, dining and entertainment destination located in the heart of the Philadelphia Stadium District. The opening marks another major milestone for the Company as the next Live! branded casino to open in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Live! Casino Pittsburgh opened in Hempfield Township, PA, in November 2020.

The Cordish Companies’ Principal Reed Cordish, Cordish Gaming Group President Rob Norton, and Executive Vice President Joe Billhimer were joined at a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (Second District), and numerous business, tourism and community leaders from the region.

The ceremony was hosted by Philadelphia fan favorite Ron Jaworski, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles; with special guest appearances by Philadelphia 76ers legend and Basketball Hall-of-Fame player Julius “Dr. J” Erving; former Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel; and former Eagles wide receiver, the “Invincible” Vince Papale. Guests were also delighted by appearances from the Phillie Phanatic, the Phandemic Krew, and the reigning Mummers champions, the South Philadelphia String Band.

Together, the group ushered in a new era of entertainment in the City of Philadelphia by ringing a giant replica Liberty Bell, followed by a fireworks spectacular.

“As a family-owned business for over 100 years, today marks an incredibly special day for my family and The Cordish Companies as we expand our Live! Casino brand into the great City of Philadelphia,” said Reed Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies. “Live! Philadelphia is the region’s premier gaming and entertainment destination, and we are proud to welcome our guests, Team Members and the community to go Live! with us. I’d like to thank Mayor Kenney, Councilmember Johnson, and local officials for their support for this project.”

The opening of Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia transforms the Philadelphia Stadium District into an integrated sports, entertainment and casino-resort destination and establishes the area as the only place in the country to experience big league action from four major professional sports teams, best-in-class dining and entertainment, world-class gaming and luxury hotel accommodations.

COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY

As part of The Cordish Companies’ ongoing commitment to the community, more than $50,000 was donated to local Philadelphia non-profit organizations from proceeds generated from test night held prior to the official opening. During the ceremony, checks were presented to Philabundance, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, Young Chances Foundation, the Thomas & Woods Foundation, and the Garces Foundation.

“The Cordish Companies has embraced a culture of giving and community service since its inception,” said Joe Billhimer, Executive Vice President, Cordish Gaming Group. “We’re proud to be able to give back to the communities where our projects are located and where our Team Members live and work. Live! Philadelphia has long-term plans to support our local community and we’re thrilled to work with these and other amazing local organizations that make Philadelphia so special.”

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Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia will generate over $2 billion in economic stimulus to the City, along with $100 million in tax revenues for the City in its first five years of operation, including $25 million to Philadelphia’s School District. The facility has created over 3,000 construction jobs during development and will create up to 2,000 permanent jobs for local and regional residents.

“I want to welcome The Cordish Companies and the new Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia to South Philadelphia and the entire Greater Philadelphia Region,” Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (Second District) said. “I am excited that this new world-class gaming and entertainment destination is finally open and is in my Second Council District. The facility has provided over 3,000 new construction jobs and is now hiring to fill up to 2,000 permanent new positions for area residents. Hiring preference is being given to residents living in the communities immediately surrounding the Stadium District, then throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. This is the start of a great new tourist destination in South Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania.”

FIRST-CLASS DINING, ENTERTAINMENT & HOSPITALITY

Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia sets a new standard for gaming, dining, entertainment, hotel and special event accommodations. The 510,000 square-foot property features:

More than 2,100 slots and electronic table games

150 live-action table games

Dedicated 29 table Poker Room

Luxury, 12-story, 208-room Live! Hotel

A variety of dining and entertainment options

State-of-the-art, industry-leading FanDuel® Sportsbook

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Six room Event Center featuring 15,000-square-feet of customizable meeting space to accommodate groups of 12 to 1,000 guests.

Convenient access to parking with an attached multi-level structured parking facility and adjacent surface parking

PLAYING IT SAFE

To prepare for opening, Live! developed a comprehensive Play It Safe plan, an enhanced health and sanitation program that allows for ample social distancing, reduced occupancies, and vigorous hygiene and health measures for all guests and Team Members.

Key components of the plan include the installation of the state-of-the-art Atmos Air Bi-Polar Air Purification System within the HVAC system to treat and clean the air in the facility, including any virus particulates. The system is designed to perform 12 air changes per hour throughout the casino floor, which is more than twice the frequency of most commercial buildings.

In addition, the one-of-a-kind Reel Clear slot management system will guarantee every customer who plays a slot machine is sitting down at a freshly sanitized machine and also has the capability to automatically social distance the customer from the nearest guest. The newly-developed system can automatically shut down a slot after it has been played and can only be reactivated by an attendance after it has been sanitized. Also, once a player starts to play a newly sanitized machine, the system, will lock down the machines on either side to enforce social distancing in areas not protected by plexiglass barriers. The system will also allow a patron to request their machine be cleaned at any time.

The plan follows guidelines and recommendations from federal and state public health officials, along with best practices for the gaming and hospitality industries focusing on masking, temperature checks, social distancing, and repeated cleaning of high-traffic areas, slot machines and table game equipment.

“Our priority is to provide a safe environment for our Team Members and guests,” said Billhimer. “The Play It Safe plan employs extraordinary measures to meet and exceed the COVID-19 guidelines outlined by the State to ensure all of our guests have fun and feel safe.”

SOURCE Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia

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