The Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin and Nemacolin Woodlands Spa remain closed, he said. But some spa services are available on an individual basis in one of the spa suites. Owner Maggie Hardy Knox said. Nemacolin, an expansive resort in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, is a premier destination to launch a career in the hospitality industry.
Tucked in a part of Southwestern Pennsylvania well known as a five-star vacation destination since the early 1900s, Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is a rather small PA casino operation that represents just one of many guest amenities that are a part of the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.
The property seems content to stay a small, local operator. It did not apply for any online casino licenses. Additionally, it is the only casino in Pennsylvania not to apply for a $10 million sports betting licenses.
Here is some background on the property, which is currently owned by Eldorado Resorts, but managed by Churchill Downs.
The Laurel Highlands history
The Laurel Highlands area became a popular retreat for wealthy Pittsburgh industrialists and merchants in the early 1900s. In the 1930s, a number of vacation retreats and summer homes were built.
Pittsburgh industrialist Willard F. Rockwell built a summer home and hunting and fishing area on 60 acres of land in the Laurel Highlands that became the Nemacolin Trail Hunting Game Reserves by 1968.
The 12-suite Nemacolin Inn opened on the property in September 1970. An 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, and tennis courts were added two years later. The property was then sold to Cordelia Scaife May, who turned it into a private conference center.
However, the Rockwell family bought it back in December 1981, making it a public resort once again. Over the next six years, the property was transformed into a full-service resort. The Nemacolin Inn was upgraded to feature 26 rooms andtwo restaurants. Plus, an 18-hole course and pro shop, two tennis courts, two swimming pools, and a private airstrip were added.
Lumber king Joseph A. Hardy bought the Nemacolin property at auction in June 1987. Hardy and his daughter Maggie Hardy-Magerko have since transformed the property into a 2,000-acre, world-class resort. Hardy-Magerko took over full ownership in 2002.
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort now features 335 luxurious rooms and suites spread out across a number of townhouses, private luxury homes, a boutique hotel, and a clubhouse.
The property also includes the Woodlands Spa, the five-star Lautrec Restaurant and 36 holes of golf on two championship courses.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin history
In January 2010, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort announced plans to apply for a resort gaming license with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. It also announced it had reached a casino management and marketing agreement with Isle of Capri Casinos to manage the proposed casino.
Nemacolin Woodlands was granted the final Category 3 resort gaming license offered by the state in April 2011 and plans for Lady Luck Nemacolin were revealed.
The $50 million casino project was expected to include 600 slot machines, 28 table games, a casual dining restaurant, and lounge fully integrated into the guest experience at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.
The entire project was to be funded by Isle of Capri Casinos and complete within nine months.
The project was expected to boost Laurel Highlands tourism. Hardy-Magerko said her family had built the crown jewel of Pennsylvania tourism over the past 20 years. The addition of Lady Luck Casino was expected to give guests an important new amenity that would attract even more people to the resort.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin opened to the public on July 1, 2013. The final construction costs of converting a bowling alley and arcade at Nemacolin Woodlands into a casino was upwards of $60 million. The Category 3 resort casino now features 600 slot machines, 27 table games, and two restaurants: Otis at & Henry’s and Lone Wolf.
Isle of Capri called the property the flagship of the Lady Luck casino brand.
In 2017, Nevada-based Eldorado Resorts Inc. acquired Isle of Capri and all its gaming operations, including Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin revenues
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board unanimously voted to renew the Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin’s Category 3 casino operator’s license in December 2016. The license was renewed for an additional three-year period.
At the time, it was revealed that Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin had generated $112 million in gross revenue from the play of slot machines and table games since it opened. Plus, it had paid more than $53 million in gaming tax revenue over that same three-and-a-half-year period.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin posted $33,981,632 in gaming revenues in 2016. This included $29,326,854 in total slots revenue and $4,654,778 from table games. Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is the lowest grossing casino of the 12 operating in the state of Pennsylvania.
Casino games at Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin
With 600 slots, Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin doesn’t offer as many titles as some of the state’s larger casinos. However, there is still a good variety featuring everything from pennyandnickel slots to high-limit slots. Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is also committed to offering new slot games on a regular basis.
With close to 30 table games, Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin has all the table game basics covered and more. The casino features blackjack with side bets, craps, roulette, criss-cross poker, four card poker, Mississippi stud, and let it ride games.
Unlike most Pennsylvania casinos, Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin has no plans to offer an online casino.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin Farmington
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About Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin owner Eldorado Resorts
Eldorado Resorts Inc. now owns and operates 19 casino and gaming properties in 10 states. This includes Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The company’s casino brands include Lady Luck, Eldorado, and Isle of Capri.
Eldorado’s properties feature more than 20,000 slot machines and VLTs, more than 550 table games, and more than 6,500 hotel rooms.
In Pennsylvania, Eldorado also owns and operates the Presque Isle Downs and Casino in Erie. This property features 1,500 slot machines, more than 40 table games, and seasonal live thoroughbred racing.
Eldorado Resorts was founded in Reno, Nev., in 1973.
The Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin advantage
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is not one of the state’s largest casino properties and it isn’t very close to any of the state’s major city centers. However, its advantage lies in not trying to be anything it is not. It is a Category 3 resort casino and it knows it.
Like the bowling alley and arcade it replaced, Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is simply an amenity for guests of the 2,000-acre, world-class Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and other vacationers in the Laurel Highlands region where it lies. Revenues may be low, but so are operating costs. It may not be to the same scale that Parx Casino or Sands Resort Bethlehem are, but Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is certainly still a success regardless of that fact.
Guests of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort on a rainy summer weekend will certainly attest to that.
Lady Luck Casino is situated within Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, a premier luxury resort occupying nearly 2,000 acres situated in Farmington, PA, about 40 miles from downtown Pittsburgh.
This resort casino in Pennsylvania previously required a $10 amenity fee of patrons who were not hotel or resort members or guests, but that fee is no more. Guests from around the state can now visit Lady Luck without an overnight stay, taking advantage of the amenities, entertainment, and casino games they so choose.
Latest on Lady Luck’s lack of online gambling
Lady Luck Nemacolin is one of only two Pennsylvania casinos that didn’t apply for any type of PA online gambling licenses. Like Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, it is not expected to file for online gaming. Another, Meadows Casino, didn’t file initially but now has a license to offer online sports betting, which it does through the popular DraftKings brand.
Since Churchill Downs operates Lady Luck and also owns Presque Isle Downs outright, it is unnecessary for Lady Luck Nemacolin to offer a separate site to patrons when it can just promote the Presque Isle one. Presque Isle now has online casino and online sportsbook products under the BetAmerica name.
So, no sports betting or online casino product for the Farmington-area property in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Best Online Casino Bonuses
Nemacolin Casino Pa
| Casino | Online Casino? | Online Poker? | Sports Betting? | Partners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Luck Nemacolin | No | No | No | Churchill Downs, TSG |
About Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Casino
An important difference between Lady Luck and most of the other Pennsylvania casinos is that it is one of two casinos licensed to operate in Pennsylvania in locations with existing hotel resorts. Because of their previous resort status, these casinos are subject to the following restrictions that don’t apply to the other Pennsylvania casinos:
- Maximum of 600 slot machines and 50 table games (whereas other Pennsylvania casinos can have up to 5,000 slot machines)
- Access to the casino was previously restricted to those who are guests of the resort or those with a resort membership, those attending a conference or private function at the resort, or those who had purchased $10 or more in resort amenities. Now, it is open to the public with no admission fee required.
Lady Luck Casino paid the one-time $1 million fee to remove the state-mandated amenity fee requirement on June 17, 2019. The other “resort casino” in PA, Valley Forge Casino, had done so in October, 2017 so the amenity fee is now a relic of PA’s past.
Accommodations
The Nemacolin Resort first opened in 1987 and has since expanded considerably, with multiple new buildings and many activities added over the years. The casino, originally operated by the St. Louis-based gaming company Isle of Capri, did not open until July 1, 2013.
The resort also includes:
- 320 luxurious rooms and suites
- Townhouses and private homes
- 15 restaurants and lounges
- World-class spa
- Golf course
- A shuttle bus taking guests all around the sprawling property
For many, playing in the casino is not the primary reason for coming to Nemacolin. Many of the people who choose this somewhat out-of-the-way resort do so more for the opportunity to relax and be pampered than to gamble.
While some people do just come for the day, after factoring in the travel time and the various other facilities and activities you might want to take advantage of besides the casino, booking a room is probably a better option. But keep in mind that this is a Five Diamond resort and priced accordingly.
Resort packages
Depending on what types of amenities you are most interested in, one of the special packages listed below might appeal to you. If so, you can obtain more information and book your reservation online or call a reservation specialist at 1-866-344-6957.
Nemacolin Golf Learn and Play package
The golf package is offered Monday-Thursday through October. Priced at $350, it includes a golf lesson with a top teacher and one round of golf. (Figure on at least double that cost if you want to stay overnight.)
Stay more, Save now
Stay three nights or more and receive 10 percent off for a three-night stay, 20 percent off for four nights, and 30 percent off for five nights. There is an additional $30 resort fee per room per night. The resort fee covers all of the following:
- Valet parking
- On-property shuttle service
- Access to the fitness center
- Wireless Internet
- Local and toll free phone calls
- Use of outdoor pool
- In-room coffee
- Newspaper
- Art tour
- Miniature golf and hiking trails access.
Note: Even with the discount, you need deep pockets to stay at this resort. Rates run in the neighborhood of $300/night Sunday-Thursday and over $400/night Friday and Saturday.
If money is not an object, optional upgrades are available, including spa treatments or in-room wellness treatments.
Sweetheart package
Includes strawberries and champagne, breakfast in bed, and a $300 resort amenity credit.
Just Roll With It package
Includes overnight accommodations, a $100 resort amenity credit, and casino free play.
Note: The resort credit is built into the cost of the room so you are probably not saving anything.
Who can play in the casino?
Previously, casino entry required a $10 amenity fee, unless you were a hotel guest or resort member. Now, the amenity fee is waived and access is only limited to those 21 years of age and older. This state-mandated age requirement is strictly enforced.
The resort itself is family-friendly
Even though children are not allowed in the casino, they are welcome at the resort. In fact, the Nemacolin Resort in Farmington offers supervised childcare and activities for kids of all ages. Little Tykes is for infants and toddlers from 6 weeks to 3 years old. Kids Klub is for children ages 4-15. Both offer half day, full day, and evening programs (24-hour advance reservations are required). There is also a gym and carousel on the premises. Alternatively, private babysitting services can be arranged on request.
Casino overview
Security and fairness
All Pennsylvania land-based casinos, including the Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin, are licensed and regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). Maintaining this license is contingent on the casino abiding by the strict regulations set forth by this agency regarding permissible games, rules, and payouts.
While Lady Luck Casino is smaller than some of the others in the state and doesn’t offer as many games, the security and quality of the games is in no way compromised. As at the other casinos, the returns on the slot machines may fall short of your expectations. However, all of the games are fair and in full compliance with PGCB standards.
One clear advantage to playing at Lady Luck, which its discerning patrons no doubt appreciate, is that the exclusive nature of the resort and its remote location attracts a high-class clientele.
Casino games
Lady Luck Casino is open 24/7. However, the table games area is only open round-the-clock Friday and Saturday. Otherwise, from Sunday through Thursday, table games are offered from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. only.
The casino has a total of 600 slot machines and just 29 table games. There is no poker room. Non-gambling amenities are also very limited. Although there are lots of upscale dining options at the resort, within the casino building itself there is only one casual restaurantand lounge. Live bands entertain on Friday and Saturday evenings.
In addition to slots, players can choose from the following table games:
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Craps
- Three and four card poker
- Criss Cross Poker (Similar to Texas Hold ‘Em, but with the five community cards dealt in the shape of a cross)
- Mississippi Stud
- Let It Ride
Slots
The slot machines at Lady Luck Casino range from penny and nickel slots to high limit slots. Even though the total number (600) pales in comparison to the thousands at other Pennsylvania casinos, there is still more than enough variety to satisfy most players. Your choices run the gamut from familiar favorites to new games you may be seeing for the first time.
An important caveat if you decide to play slots at this casino (or any Pennsylvania casino) is that the return to the player (RTP) is nothing to write home about. Penny machines especially pay back at a lower percentage than higher-denomination machines. However, due to the relatively high 55 percent tax rate on Pennsylvania slots, casinos tend not to be generous with their slot payouts, even for machines taking higher denomination bets.
Roulette
If you have an option to play either American roulette or European roulette at this casino, be sure to choose the latter. Because this game uses a single zero only instead of both a single and double zero, the house edge is 2.71 percent compared to 5.26 percent.
Blackjack
If you would like to do any extended playing in the casino, blackjack is probably your best bet. What distinguishes blackjack from most other casino games is that the outcome is based on a combination of both luck and skill. In addition, certain variations in the rules can make the game either more or less favorable to the player. Pennsylvania happens to be a state whose blackjack rules are among the best in the U.S. While there may be some variations between one casino and another in table limits, number of decks (six or eight), type of shuffle, and optional side bets, the basic rules delineated by the PGCB are standard statewide:
- Blackjack pays 3:2
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Doubling down permitted on any two cards
- Doubling down after splits
- Splits up to three hands (except aces)
- Late surrender
Using correct basic strategy, the house edge on this game is only about .40 percent. At Lady Luck Casino, blackjack players also can make a variety of side bets. Since the side bets have a higher house edge than standard blackjack bets, if you play these gimmicky bets, they should be small bets that you make occasionally, just for fun.
Bet Top 3 (also called 21 + 3 Xtreme)
If your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard create certain types of three-card poker hands, you win five to 30 times your bet.
Bet the Set
You win if your first two cards are a pair and win more if they are a suited pair.
Royal Match
You win if your first two cards are suited. You win a top bonus for a king and queen that are suited.
King’s Bounty
Kings Bounty is a side bet that your first two card will total 20. However, certain rare hands can net you a higher payout. Get two kings of spades when vs. a dealer blackjack and you hit the jackpot.
House Money
If your first two cards are either A-K suited, a straight flush, a pair, or a straight, you’re a winner. With the House Money bet, you then have the option to either collect your winnings or add them to your original bet. In other words, you can play the hand in part with the house’s money.
Table limits
First-time visitors might assume because Nemacolin is such an exclusive resort, the casino is for high rollers only. However, this is not the case at all. As mentioned, there are penny slots along with higher-denomination slots, and there are modest stakes table games as well. For example, there are $5 minimum craps tables and $10 minimum blackjack tables. There is a separate high limit room, but it gets little play.
A main reason for the lack of appreciable high stakes table game play is that the casino’s rewards program only rewards slot play. The usual practice is for casinos to comp slot players at a faster rate than table game players, but if the table game play meets certain standards, it is rewarded as well. Unfortunately, there is no indication that Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin gives table game players anything back in return.
It is not unreasonable for players willing to give a casino heavy action (i.e., $100+ blackjack or craps bets over extended period) to expect to be lavished with free room, food, beverage, and entertainment comps. Nor it is unreasonable for a player betting $25 for four or more hours to receive a non-gourmet meal comp. Several other casinos in the state allow players to earn points towards future comps on both slots and table games. With that in mind, there is no incentive for mid to high stakes table game players to patronize a casino that offers no rewards.
Lady Luck Players Club
Earn rewards for your slot play
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin players can join the Players Club rewards program, run by Churchill Downs, Inc. If you are not a member, you can join either online or when you arrive at the casino. Membership is free, with no obligation. Besides using your membership card to earn points for your slot play, all members are eligible for promotions, gift giveaways, and other special offers, along with complimentary valet parking.
Every 5,000 points player earns can be redeemed for either $10 food and beverage credit, $5 free play, or $2.50 cash or resort credit.
Four-tiered rewards program
The Lady Luck Players Club has four tiers. The higher your tier (based on casino play), the bigger your benefits. The four tiers are:
- Tier 1 (Red – tier score up to 9,999)
- Tier 2 (Green – requiring a minimum tier score of 10,000 points)
- Tier 3 (Blue – requiring a minimum tier score of 40,000 points)
- Tier 4 (Black – requiring a minimum tier score of 125,000 points)
All tier scores reset annually.
Players in Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 receive monthly point multipliers of 1.5x, 2x, and 3x, respectively.
Tier 2 and up also receive birthday offers. Starting at Tier 3, players also receive:
- Complimentary valet service
- Eligible for casino hosting
- Priority Players Club and restaurant service
- Complimentary check cashing
- Premium casino beverage service
.jpg/240px-Nemacolin_Woodlands_(236248264).jpg "Woodlands")
Reserved for Tier 4 members are access to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort activities and amenities and complimentary overnight stays at the resort.
Summary
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin is not for everyone. But if you appreciate the finer things in life and can afford first-class treatment, this casino resort may be for you. If you want an overnight or longer stay at a posh resort where you can get away from it all and not only play some of your favorite casino games, but also relax, unwind, and be rejuvenated, this resort is for you.
Lady Luck may attract more day visitors now that the amenity fee has been dropped. But if you are searching for a casino resort with bustling nightlife, it’s not the strong suit of Lady Luck Casino.
Another common complaint, surprisingly, is that the casino is very smoky. This is a facility which promotes wellness in a big way, but not only is smoking permitted in the casino, customers are also complaining that even in the nonsmoking areas, one can still smell the smoke.
On the other hand, customers have nothing but nice things to say about the friendly staff and high level of service. The special children’s programs also make this resort a great choice for a family getaway.
Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin
4067 National Pike
Farmington, PA 15437
1-888-LADY-LUCK
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