Live! Casino Philadelphia donates $2 million for road project

Live! Casino Hotel Philadelphia has agreed to contribute $2 million to construct a new westbound access ramp on Interstate 76 (I-76) and 7th Street in the Sports Complex of the city. This agreement resolves a decade-long dispute between the casino, operated by Cordish Companies of Baltimore, and state authorities.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) approved a Consent Agreement with Stadium Casino RE, LLC, the parent entity of Live! Philadelphia, during its meeting on Wednesday, July 22. The terms require Live! Philadelphia to take part in funding the interstate infrastructure project. The ramp will improve the flow of traffic that congests during Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, and Flyers games, as well as during major events at the casino. Currently, the closest ramp to Live! is on S. Broad Street. With a ramp on 7th Street, outgoing traffic from the casino and venues such as Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field will have easier access to the interstate.

Cordish's Commitment

Cordish's winning bid to develop a casino within the limits of Philadelphia included a guarantee that it would work with the Federal Highway Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) to build a ramp on I-76 at 7th Street. The terms with Cordish, executed on November 18, 2014, stipulated that the casino would pay all costs and expenses associated with the design and construction of the ramp.

In the following years, Live! Casino conducted a traffic analysis and met with transportation authorities, including the DRPA. During a casino re-licensing hearing in 2019, representatives from Live! reported that the DRPA no longer supported the westbound ramp. The PGCB renewed Cordish's operating license and amended the 2014 terms to guarantee at least $1 million towards the ramp. The Consent Agreement reached this month doubles Live!'s commitment to $2 million, with funds paid over five years from the casino's Community Benefits Program, in annual installments of $400,000.

Ramp Details

PennDOT projects that the ramp at Live! Casino Philadelphia will cost around $15 million. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months and be completed in 2028. Once completed, the ramp is expected to serve about 800 vehicles per hour that would otherwise use other westbound access ramps.