Sands Casino In Bethlehem Is For Sale

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem is on the selling block, a source familiar with company thinking told The Morning Call.

Las Vegas Sands, the world’s largest casino company, is asking as much as $1 billion for the Bethlehem casino.  But the source cautioned it’s part of company policy to gauge outside interest on every company property in the United States.

In other words, while Las Vegas Sands’ highly lucrative Macau properties are off-limits, every Sands casino in the U.S.— even the Venetian — theoretically could be had, for the right price.

Some analysts theorize that with Sands Bethlehem revenues riding high, and potential gambling competition brewing in New York state, the time is right for Las Vegas Sands to sell Bethlehem — its only U.S. casino outside Las Vegas.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/local/bethlehem/mc-bethlehem-sands-sale-20130117,0,5249878.story

$254 Million Economic Impact From 2 Reading Venues, Study Finds

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Berks County received more than $254 million in direct economic impact from the Sovereign Center and Sovereign Performing Arts Center since those facilities opened in 2001, according to an independent study released Wednesday.

The figure represents the total that the arena, the theater and their 4.5 million visitors spent in Berks, said Dr. Lolita A. Paff, a Penn State Berks associate professor of business and economics.

The Berks County Convention Center Authority, which runs the facilities, paid $2,500 for the study.

The authority hopes it will help with marketing, grants and sponsorship of the facilities, and solidify their importance in the community, said Zane Collings, general manger.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=412850