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Daniel Materna
Howard
Ask any supporter or opponent of that planned Nittany Mall casino about the project's status and most of them will either say it is a “done deal” or they will explain it still awaits an official decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Those who know the PA Supreme Court Justices have not yet decided to approve or deny the issuance of the casino's license are correct!
Anyone driving past the vacant Macy's store at the Nittany Mall in State College will notice that both the parking lot and the building itself are beginning to crumble. Those things will not change this summer or even next summer because, in the unlikely event the casino license is issued, an empty department store cannot be remodeled into a brand-new casino overnight.
Don't plan to see construction starting there anytime soon. The PA Supreme Court's calendars for both April and May have already been posted online and the planned arguments about the casino's license are not included there. No arguments will be heard before September 2024 since the Court does not hear arguments during their Administrative Sessions. So there goes this summer!
Watch for the Court to deny the issuance of the license because of the many valid legal challenges in the 247-page lawsuit filed in July 2021. The non-winning bidder launched the legal battle against the winning bidder and they remain very confident of eventual success when the final decision is made by the Court. Now is also the time for the Nittany Mall to start searching for a real anchor store. They certainly have none there right now.