PBJ: Parx Casino revenues up, Harrah’s Chester’s down in March

PBJ: Parx Casino revenues up, Harrah’s Chester’s down in March

Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa., continued to set the pace for Pennsylvania casinos, posting a revenue gain of 11 percent last month, regulators said Friday.

Parx, formerly known a Philadelphia Park Racetrack, had revenue of $36.5 million, up from $32.7 million in March 2009, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The casino had a $250 million makeover that was unveiled in December.

The Philadelphia area’s other casino, Harrah’s Chester Casino and Racetrack, posted revenue of $28.4 million, down 3 percent from a year ago, when it had revenue of $29.3 million.

For the seven Pennsylvania casinos that were operating a year ago, revenue totaled $156.3 million, a gain of 1 percent from $155.1 million in March 2009.

Two casinos that opened within the past year — Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh — had combined revenue of $43.9 million.

Overall, Pennsylvania casinos had revenue of $200.2 million in March, compared to $155.1 million in the same month last year.

From last month’s gross, $110.1 million was returned to the state in the form of tax revenue.

As of March 31, Pennsylvania had 25,289 slot machines at nine casinos, up from 16,635 slot machines and seven casinos a year ago.