Safety at Live! Casino Pittsburgh Goes Above and Beyond

As health officials in Pennsylvania continue to report rising daily coronavirus cases, managers of the new casino in Westmoreland County are taking extra precautions ahead of the casino opening date.

The new $150 million Live! Casino Pittsburgh located at the Westmoreland Mall, inside the former Bon-Ton department store, will feature 750 slot machines and 30 table games, with bars and restaurants completing its offering as an entertainment destination. And its owner, Maryland-based The Cordish Companies is paying special attention to health and safety protocols.

“We don’t want anybody getting anything, even a cold. We’re going overboard to make sure you’re in a safe spot.”

Sean Sullivan, General Manager, Live! Casino Pittsburgh

Thermal Scans, Masks, Distancing and Sanitization

The gambling venue is set to follow a pre-established Play It Safe plan, built around face masks, temperature checks, social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols for high-traffic areas such as slot machines and table games equipment.

Plexiglass dividers will be placed around table games and slot machines across the casino floor to ensure physical distance between players and team members, in addition to the signs prompting guests to maintain space between each other and use the hand sanitizers to clean their hands frequently.

Upon entry, each customer will be scanned through a thermal camera and anyone of them whose temperature exceeds 100 degrees will not be allowed to enter the premises. Guests will be allowed to enter until a total of 1,900 people, including staff, is reached, to comply with state guidance for restaurants and facilities to reduce their operating capacity to 50%.

Automated Slot Machine Distancing Solution

The Cordish Company, which integrated its recently launched online casino PlayLive! with NetEnt’s game portfolio, adopted a special technology for its new casino related to slot machines, Rob Norton, president of the operator noted. The technology makes sure that when a guest chooses a slot machine to play, each machine on both sides of the chosen one are shut down. Moreover, the new tech switches off every machine which has been used as soon as the guest leaves it, to allow for its proper disinfection.

“In this facility, we’ve even added things that are above and beyond.”

Rob Norton, President, The Cordish Companies

The 100,000-square-foot gaming facility will also feature a sportsbook, operated in partnership with the sports betting brand of Flutter Entertainment, FanDuel, a high-limit area and three restaurants. Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen + Bar is located on the casino floor and has its booths, much alike table games in the casino, separated by plexiglass barriers.

Despite plexiglass dividers featuring heavily in the second restaurant, installed between the booths, hostess stations and other spots, a 45-foot television screen steals the focus inside the 445-seat bar and restaurant Sports & Social Steel City, located on the second floor.

The second floor also features a banquet space and a country bar, PBR Pittsburgh, which is scheduled to open next year.