Members of a state commission were greeted Wednesday by the sounds of whirring and dinging as they entered the nearly complete Hollywood Casino Perryville in the northeastern corner of Maryland, a 1,500-machine facility scheduled to make its public debut next Thursday.
Technicians scampered among the machines on the gaming floor. Minor construction remained to be done inside the cavernous, art deco structure, where oversize movie posters were suspended from the ceiling. And some major landscaping still must be completed.
But representatives from the casino, owned by Penn National Gaming, insisted they’re on schedule for a grand opening with dignitaries including Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), who has championed the state's slots program and is up for reelection in less than 6 weeks.