Bucks County Courier Times reported that after more than a decade of planning, the Parx Casino Hotel project has received approval from Bensalem Township Council to build a luxury hotel on Street Road in Bensalem. Groundbreaking is scheduled for later this year, with construction expected to be complete in 2025.
Parx Casino Hotel to Feature 300 Rooms, Rooftop Restaurant, and Presidential Suites
The 13-story hotel will include 11 floors of guest space, with 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, each with a 300-seat capacity.
The restaurant will feature a show kitchen in which invited chefs will cook and lead special presentations. The rooftop floors will have a presidential suite and four other high-end suites, which will offer unobstructed views of the Philadelphia skyline. A coffee shop, spa, and fitness center will fill out the amenities.
The hotel will not feature branding and will carry the “Parx Casino Hotel” marquee. Each restaurant will be an in-house offering, with no branding. During a presentation before Bensalem Township Council, Parx Casino Chief Operating Officer John Dixon said that the 14,000-square-foot banquet hall will have a capacity of 800, making it suitable for weddings, business conferences, and small exhibits. The rooms can be subdivided, given event requirements.
Parx Casino Hotel to Attract Youth-based Groups and Family-friendly Organizations
John Dixon, the Chief Operating Officer of Parx Casino, mentioned that the size of the new Parx Casino Hotel will not allow it to compete with the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia for national conventions like the auto show or flower show. He added that the hotel would be ideal for local and regional meetings and gatherings but not suitable for large-scale events.
Dixon also noted that the hotel would not be age-restricted like the casino, which would enable the operators to market it to youth-based groups and family-friendly organizations.
Parx Casino, which opened as Philadelphia Park on December 19, 2006, has been a regional draw for many years. Parx quickly found success, generating $55.46 million in revenues in January 2023, compared to $51.81 million in revenue earned in January 2022.
It was the third-highest revenue-generating casino in Pennsylvania, where gaming is big business. In 2022, the 16 Pennsylvania casinos saw a combined $5.21 billion compared to $4.73 billion in 2021. 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 employs some 2,000 workers, making it a leading employer in Bucks County.