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A new age of casino gambling in the Lehigh Valley will get its start next Monday when Wind Creek Bethlehem reopens for the first time in more than three months.

Wind Creek, which closed to the public March 15 to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, made the announcement Monday. The news comes days after the Lehigh Valley learned it would enter the green phase of the state’s reopening plan Friday, a phase that permits casinos to open at 50% occupancy.

As of midday Monday, six of the state’s casinos are open, after Mohegan Sun Pocono in Luzerne County and Mount Airy Casino Resort in Monroe County reopened.

With Wind Creek’s reopening, followed by the opening of Parx Casino in Bucks County at 9 a.m. Monday, 11 of Pennsylvania’s casinos have now reopened. The only one not yet open is Rivers Casino. The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem 77 Wind Creek Boulevard Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 (877) 726-3777. Guests can enjoy the indoor pool or the modern gym at Wind Creek Bethlehem. The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day and there is also an ATM on-site. Downtown Bethlehem is 5 mi from the resort, Allentown is 20 mi away, and Philadelphia is 60 mi away. New York City is 90 mi from the property.

During the pandemic, Wind Creek Bethlehem was able to pay its roughly 2,400 employees through the end of May but furloughed 2,095 of them June 1, as the downturn entered its third month. Wind Creek Hospitality President and CEO Jay Dorris told The Morning Call this month that the casino hopes to bring all employees back as operations ramp back up.

With the potential shift in consumer preferences following this pandemic, however, Dorris said Wind Creek was tapping the brakes on a $250 million plan to transform the crumbling Bethlehem Steel No. 2 Machine Shop into an indoor water park and entertainment complex.

But Wind Creek still wants to break ground by late summer on its $100 million hotel expansion, a project that could take 14-16 months to complete.

While a reopening date did not become clear until Monday, Wind Creek had kept patrons informed of what to expect when the casino did open again. That included plans for small groups of invited guests to start, followed days later by a reopening to the public at a reduced capacity.

As one of the Lehigh Valley’s largest employers, the casino also had some of its employees test positive for COVID-19. That included Jonathan Shen, a 31-year-old table games supervisor at the casino who died April 22 following a four-week battle with COVID-19.

During an interview June 12, Dorris declined to disclose the number of employee cases but noted the casino had the situation arise and tried to be proactive in giving employees the necessary leave to get treated and recover. He said Wind Creek was following all guidance, including notifying those who were in close contact with someone who tested positive.

“We’ve had to deal with it, and we’re going to be dealing with that for some time now going forward,” he said.

Morning Call reporter Jon Harris can be reached at 610-820-6779 or at jon.harris@mcall.com.

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©2020 The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)

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Visit the Wind Creek Resort Bethlehem, the premiere choice of Pennsylvania hotels, resorts & casinos, featuring:

• Over 3,000 slot machines, video poker and electronic table games.
• Over 200 live table games including Blackjack, Texas Hold’em Bonus and a 26-table Poker Room.
• Award-Winning hotel with 300 beautifully appointed hotel rooms offering amenities such as Wi-Fi, indoor pool and 42″ TVs.
• Quality entertainment in the Molten Lounge, Vision Nightclub, Coil and the Wind Creek Event Center.
• Dining at Emeril’s Chop House, Emeril’s Fish House, Buddy V’s Ristorante, Chopstick, Steelworks Buffet and Grill and more.
• Premiere shopping with over 30 stores including Michael Kors, Coach, Under Armour, Tommy Hilfiger and Charming Charlie.

Bonuses:
$45 Slot Free Play daily

• Must be at least 21 years of age or older to enter the Wind Creek Casino and receive our bonus.
• Must present a Government-issued picture ID.
• Bonus is given as a courtesy by the casino and is subject to change without notice.

For more information visit https://www.windcreekbethlehem.com/

Special Same Day Fare $50.00 (subject to change).

Round Trip Excursion tickets will be available in the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) at the New Jersey Transit Ticket Windows. Tickets are valid for same-day use only.

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Pa

One-Way tickets from Wind Creek to the PABT should be purchased from the Wind Creek Gift Shop. The current cost for a One-Way ticket is $40.20.
The Wind Creek Gift Shop only accepts credit cards as forms of payment. No cash, check, or debit card will be accepted.

Wind Creek Casino Pa

• Passengers have the option of purchasing a ticket from the driver for $45.
• Drivers do not carry money and cannot make change. Passengers are required to have exact fare when boarding buses on this line.
• Drivers sell One-Way cash fares only. Cash fare Senior Discount tickets, Children’s tickets or Round Trip tickets are not available.
• Operators are not required to accept bills larger than $20.00.
• All tickets are non-refundable.