Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Rating: 3,7/5 1833 reviews

Coordinates: 40°36′53″N75°21′33″W / 40.6148°N 75.3591°W

  • The Wind Creek Bethlehem (formerly Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem) is a casino hotel located in the Bethlehem Works development site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is owned and operated by Wind Creek Hospitality, an entity of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
  • Wind Creek Bethlehem casino table games supervisor, 31, dies after four-week battle with coronavirus, sister says » Moving forward, the casino expects to make changes as necessary.
  • Reviews of Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino & Resort This rating is a reflection of how the property compares to the industry standard when it comes to price, facilities and services available. It's based on a self-evaluation by the property. Use this rating to help choose your stay! 77 Wind Creek Blvd, Bethlehem, PA 18015, United States of America.
Wind Creek Bethlehem
Former logo on the old ore crane of Bethlehem Steel
Address 77 Wind Creek Blvd
Bethlehem, PA 18015-7705
Opening dateMay 22, 2009; 11 years ago
ThemeIndustrial
No. of rooms302
Total gaming space139,000 sq ft (12,900 m2)
Signature attractions
  • Wind Creek Event Center
Notable restaurants
  • Emeril's Chop House
  • St. James Gate Irish Pub and Carvery
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerPoarch Band of Creek Indians
ArchitectRTKL Associates
Previous names
  • Sands BethWorks (planning/construction)
  • Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem (2009–19)
Renovated inCasino floor expansion (late 2009-2010), Hotel (early 2011), Shopping mall (late 2011-2012)
WebsiteCasino Website

Specialties: Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem opened May of 2009 in Eastern Pennsylvania. It is situated on the site of the historic Bethlehem Steel plant and located approximately 60 minutes from Philadelphia and the northern New Jersey.

The Wind Creek Bethlehem (formerly Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem) is a casino hotel located in the Bethlehem Works development site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is owned and operated by Wind Creek Hospitality, an entity of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

History[edit]

Construction of the casino at the defunct Bethlehem Steel site, with an original ore crane pictured

The property is one of five stand-alone casinos that was awarded a slots license by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board on December 20, 2006.[1] It was developed by the Las Vegas Sands corporation. The casino was slated to open in July 2008, but demolition took longer than expected due to the heavy concrete foundations of the old steel building. Its opening was delayed until the second quarter of 2009. The first concrete for the complex, which is located on the former Bethlehem Steel land on the south side of the city, was poured on November 15, 2007.

It opened on May 22, 2009. While the Las Vegas Sands owned several properties, this was the only casino in the United States to carry the Sands brand in its name, since the original Sands Hotel in Las Vegas was demolished and replaced with The Venetian, and the Sands Atlantic City was closed and demolished.

In the winter of 2009–2010, the casino was granted a license for table games which allowed the casino to expand to include 180 table games, including poker, blackjack and craps.[2] Table games began operation on July 18, 2010. The Sands Hotel opened on May 27, 2011.

Following the addition of table games, the casino has become a popular destination for Asian Americans from New York City, who frequently travel to the casino on motorcoach buses operated by Chinatown bus lines. More than 3,000 riders a day traveled by bus to the casino from Asian American neighborhoods in New York City. The casino has the busiest motorcoach business of any casino in Pennsylvania.[3]

Sands had offered $45 in free play vouchers for slot machines to riders who paid $15 for a bus ticket. This offer led to the creation of an underground market where Asian American bus riders from New York City, often low-income or homeless people, would sell their free play vouchers upon arriving at the casino and would hang around Bethlehem for the day without gambling before returning by bus to New York City. Casino patrons would buy the free play vouchers in bulk at a discount and use them in the video poker machines, which have a lower house advantage, and attempt to make a profit. On March 31, 2014, in an effort to end this practice, the video poker machines at Sands stopped accepting the free play vouchers given to bus riders.[3]

It was the only property in the company to end 2014 with a profit, doing better than Sands' Vegas and Asia properties.

In November 2016, a planned expansion of the gaming floor, along with, two additional restaurants was announced.

In March 2018, it was announced that the property would be sold to Wind Creek Hospitality for $1.3 billion.[4][5] Wind Creek Hospitality had plans for a $190-million expansion to the property that would add a 300-room hotel and possibly an indoor water park.[6] The sale was completed in May 2019,[7] and the property was renamed as Wind Creek Bethlehem in July 2019.[8]

On June 10, 2020, Wind Creek Bethlehem was granted approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to offer sports betting. Construction of the sportsbook at Wind Creek Bethlehem, which is operated by Betfred and located at the site of Buddy V's Ristorante, began around August 18, 2020 and opened on November 18, 2020.[9][10]

Wind Creek Event Center[edit]

The Wind Creek Event Center was designed by Howard Kulp Architects of Salisbury Township. The event center features 14,000 sq ft (1,300 m2) of flexible multipurpose space, which accommodates meetings, conventions, and a variety of entertainment events.[11][12] The venue can house 3,800 in a general admission setting and 2,500 in a reserved seating setting.[13] Operated by Live Nation Mid-Atlantic, it was opened on May 16, 2012 as the Sands Bethlehem Event Center, with a concert by Incubus.[14]Janet Jackson performed to a sold-out crowd at the venue in November 2017 for her State of the World Tour.[15]Britney Spears performed at the venue in July 2018 on her Piece of Me tour.[16]

Facilities[edit]

Sands Casino Resort

Gaming[edit]

The casino features over 3,000 slot machines, 200 table games, several electronic table games, and sports betting. Sands spent $26 million in 2009 to add 119 table games: 41 blackjack tables, four craps, four roulette, four three-card poker, fourteen mini-baccarat, four midi-baccarat, three pai gow poker, two pai gow tiles, one Big Six, two Let It Ride, two Caribbean stud, four Texas Hold'em Bonus, one Casino War, one sic bo and 12 poker tables. Later a 30-table poker room was built off of the main floor. Table games began operation on July 18, 2010.[citation needed] The sportsbook at Wind Creek Bethlehem, which is operated by Betfred and opened on November 18, 2020, has 79 TV screens, 13 self-serve sports betting kiosks, and 8 teller windows. Wind Creek Bethlehem also offers online sports betting.[9][10]

Dining[edit]

  • Burgers and More by Emeril (BAM)
  • Carlo's Bake Shop(also known as Carlo's Bakery)
  • Chopstick
  • Croissanterie
  • Steelworks Buffet & Grill
  • The Market Gourmet Express Food Court, currently including:
    • Bananas
    • Casa Java
    • Far East
    • GreenLeafs
    • Mo Burger
    • South Philly Steaks & Fries
    • Villa Italian Kitchen

Nightlife[edit]

  • Molten
  • Coil Lounge
  • Vision Bar

Shopping[edit]

The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem

The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem is an indoor shopping mall that connects the casino and the hotel.[17] The outlet center, which opened on November 1, 2011 and is located under the Minsi Trail Bridge, comprises 133,000 sq ft (12,400 m2) of retail space and includes a food court, near the casino entrance.

Events[edit]

Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival[edit]

The hotel hosts the yearly Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival, held at the end of May/early June to benefit the culinary and hospitality program at Northampton Community College.[18]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^'PA Gaming Control Board Approval'(PDF). PA Gaming Control Board. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  2. ^'PA Gaming Control Board Renews Slots License For Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem - Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board'. gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  3. ^ abAssad, Matt (April 12, 2014). 'Sands Casino cracks down on bus riders'. The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  4. ^Radzievich, Jon Harris, Nicole. 'Sands Bethlehem casino to be sold to Alabama Indian tribe for $1.3 billion'. Lehigh Valley Business Cycle. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  5. ^'Las Vegas Sands selling Bethlehem casino for $1.3 billion'. lehighvalleylive.com. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  6. ^Backover, Justin; Lewis, Will (January 15, 2019). 'Sands Bethlehem expansion plans include 300-room hotel, possible water park'. Allentown, PA: WFMZ-TV. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  7. ^Harris, Jon (May 31, 2019). 'The deal is complete: Sands Bethlehem casino is now owned by Wind Creek Hospitality'. The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  8. ^Gore, Leada (July 16, 2019). 'Sands Casino renamed by Poarch Creek, now known as Wind Creek Bethlehem'. The Birmingham News. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  9. ^ abHarris, Jon (June 10, 2020). 'Wind Creek Bethlehem's sportsbook, to be built in current home of Buddy V's, plans to open in November'. The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  10. ^ abBresswein, Kurt (November 18, 2020). 'Wind Creek Bethlehem now open for sports betting in newly renovated space'. LehighValleyLive. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  11. ^'Venue - Sands Bethlehem Event Center'. Sands Bethlehem Event Center. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  12. ^'Sands Event Center to expand, with new balcony, before 2nd anniversary Howard Kulp Architects'. www.hkulparchitects.com. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  13. ^Moser, John J. (February 12, 2012). 'Sands Bethlehem Event Center: Here's what it looks like, what's ahead, and why it will succeed'. The Morning Call. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  14. ^Olanoff, Lynn (May 16, 2012). 'Sands Bethlehem Event Center holds grand opening before Incubus concert'. The Express-Times. Advance Publications. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  15. ^Moser, John (November 10, 2017). 'Janet Jackson seeks respect, wins with hits, at Sands Bethlehem Event Center'. The Morning Call. Retrieved November 13, 2018. But it also wasn’t a surprise when, after all that, Jackson told the sold-out crowd, “Get the point? Good, let’s dance,” and spent most of the rest of the 34-song show doing a litany of hits.
  16. ^Moser, John J. (July 18, 2018). 'Britney Spears' Vegas-style show borders on boring at Sands'. The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
  17. ^Darrow, Chuck (November 1, 2011). 'Sands opens shopping mall'. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  18. ^'Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Fesitval'. Lehigh Valley Food & Wine Festival Website. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
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Wind

77 Wind Creek Blvd,PA 18015Bethlehem

Overview

Located in downtown Bethlehem, Wind Creek Bethlehem is 6.8 mi from the Lehigh Valley International Airport. It features 10 restaurants, 3 bars, and a casino with over 3,000 slot machines, 200 table games, and 36 poker tables.

A 42-inch flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi access are included in every room at Wind Creek Bethlehem. The rooms are decorated with neutral colors and dark wood furniture.

Free parking is available on a lot adjacent to the hotel. 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.

Rooms: 8

When would you like to stay?

Facilities of Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino & Resort

General

Casino
  • WiFi in all areas

Activities

  • Golf course (within 2 miles)
  • Live music/Performance

Food & Drink

  • Restaurant
  • Vending machine (drinks)

Pool and Spa

  • Spa
  • Massage

Front Desk Services

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Newspapers
  • Express check-in/out
  • ATM on site
  • Concierge
  • Private check-in/out

Entertainment & Family Services

  • Babysitting/Child services
  • Casino
  • Entertainment staff
  • Nightclub/DJ
  • Kids' club
  • Evening entertainment

Cleaning Services

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem
  • Dry cleaning

Business Facilities

  • Meeting/Banquet facilities

Shops

  • Hair/Beauty salon
  • Gift shop
  • Shops (on site)

Miscellaneous

  • Non-smoking rooms
  • Facilities for disabled guests
  • Elevator
  • Heating
  • Air conditioning
  • Designated smoking area

Safety & security

  • Safe
  • 24-hour security

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Open

  • Security alarm
  • Smoke alarms

Safety features

  • Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities
  • Shared stationery (e.g. printed menus, magazines, pens, paper) removed
  • Hand sanitizer in guest accommodation and common areas
  • Process in place to check health of guests

Physical distancing

  • Contactless check-in/out
  • Cashless payment available
  • Physical distancing rules followed
  • Screens or physical barriers between staff and guests in appropriate areas

Cleanliness & disinfection

  • Use of cleaning chemicals that are effective against coronavirus
  • Linens, towels, and laundry washed in accordance with local authority guidelines
  • Guest accommodation disinfected between stays
  • Guest accommodation sealed after cleaning

Food & drink safety

  • Physical distancing in dining areas
  • All plates, cutlery, glasses, and other tableware sanitized

Internet

WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

Parking

Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed).

Policies of Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino & Resort

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Pa

These are general hotel policies for Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino & Resort. As they may vary per room type, please also check the room conditions.

Check-in

17:00 - 23:00 hours

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Rewards

Check-out

07:00 - 10:00 hours

Cancellation / Prepayment

Sands Casino Bethlehem Pa

Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to property type.

Children and Extra Beds

Free!Up to three children under 16 years stay free of charge when using existing beds.

There is no capacity for extra beds in the room.

The maximum number of total guests in a room is 5.

There is no capacity for cribs in the room.

Pets

Pets are not allowed.

Accepted credit cards

  • Mastercard
  • Visa
  • American Express

The property reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival.

Wind

Important Information

Please note, guest must be 21 years of age or older to check in.
Pool and fitness center are closed until further notice.

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Entertainment Schedule

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