Parx Casino Hotel is finally coming to Bensalem with 300 rooms, rooftop restaurant and more
First there was horse racing. And then came the casino. And now a hotel will rise on the Parx complex on Street Road in Bensalem.
"A hotel has always been a part of Parx casino's plans," said Mike Meginniss, legal council for the Parx Casino Hotel project. "This is a natural evolution of the site."
In planning for longer than a decade, Parx received approval Monday from Bensalem Township Council to proceed with plans to build a luxury hotel on Street Road.
Goundbreaking is scheduled for later this year with the expectation that construction will be complete in 2025. Parx representatives shared details with Bensalem Township Council at its meeting Monday night.
Parx Casino Hotel to offer more than rooms
The 13-story hotel will include 11 floors of guest space which will house 300 regular-stay rooms. A new walkway will connect the new hotel with the existing casino.
The hotel will feature a restaurant in the lobby and another on the rooftop, with each having a 300-seat capacity. The restaurant will feature a show kitchen in which invited chefs will cook and lead special presentations, Meginniss said.
The rooftop floors will have a presidential suite and four other high-end suites which developers said will offer unobstructed views of the Philadelphia skyline.
A coffee shop, spa and fitness center fill out the amenities.
The hotel will not feature a branding, and will carry the "Parx Casino Hotel" marquee. Parx officials said architects will use Marriott as a brand standard in terms of planning and outfitting its new hotel, Meginniss said.
Likewise, each restaurant will be in-house offerings, with no branding.
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Parx Casino Hotel to target banquets, weddings
During a presentation before Bensalem Township Council, Parx Casino Chief Operating Officer John Dixon said the 14,000-square-foot banquet hall will have a capacity of 800, making it suitable for weddings, business conferences and small exhibits.
Dixon said the rooms can be subdivided, given event requirements.
Dixon also pointed out that due to its size, Parx Casino Hotel will not compete with the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia for national conventions such as the auto show or flower show.
"We don't have space for those. This is more for local and regional meetings," Dixon said. "We're not in that league (for national conventions), but it will be a good spot for people to have meetings and gatherings."
Unlike the casino, the new hotel will not be age-restricted. Dixon said this will allow operators to also market Parx Casino Hotel to youth-based groups and family friendly organizations.
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Parx Casino carries Keystone Racetrack history
Parx was the second of Pennsylvania’s casinos, opening as Philadelphia Park on Dec. 19, 2006, a month after the opening of the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
The Bensalem site, just outside Philadelphia and close to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 95, has long ben a regional draw, changing ownership several times since 1974, when it was then known as Keystone Racetrack.
Parx quickly found success.
According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission, Parx Casino generated $55..46 million in revenues in January 2023, compared to $51.81 million in revenue earned in January 2022, representing a 7.03% increase in revenue, year over year.
It was the third highest revenue generating casino in Pennsylvania, where gaming is big business. In 2022, the 16 Pennsylvania casinos saw a combined of $5.21 billion compared to $4.73 billion in 2021, according the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Revenue from Parx Casino also funds Bensalem's $300 Home Assistance Grant, which Bensalem Mayor Joe DiGirolamo said Bensalem homeowners will continue to receive in 2023. Parx also employees some 2,000 workers, making it a leading employer in Bucks County.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Parx casino in Bensalem to open new hotel in 2025
