Happy Valley Casino Set to Open in Former Macy’s This Spring

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Happy Valley Casino is moving closer to a spring 2026 opening inside the former Macy’s box at Nittany Mall, State College.

State College, Penn
Key Takeaways:
  • Casino set to open in spring 2026 inside former Macy’s at Nittany Mall
  • Project expected to generate $1.4-$1.6 million in annual tax revenue
  • Casino aims to attract foot traffic and offer job training through dealer schools

Saratoga Casino Holdings became the majority owner in January, bringing operating scale to a $120 million development. It is expected to employ about 300 to 350 people and open with 600 slot machines, 30 table games, and two casino-run food outlets. 

The timing matters. College Township commissioned an impact study that projected $1.4 million to $1.6 million in annual new tax revenue and only limited public-safety concerns. 

Happy Valley Casino has also tried to soften the staffing challenge with a free 12-week dealer school that pays trainees during instruction and feeds directly into hiring.

Mall to Casino

The State College project follows other endeavours that have taken over empty department store space. In Georgia, a former JCPenney in a local mall may become a casino as the county was granted a 10-year purchase option. 

Happy Valley Casino is targeting an April opening, with construction led by Poole Anderson Construction. 

For the Nittany Mall, the deal is less a routine tenant change than a test of whether gaming can revive a property that has spent years in decline.

Pennsylvania gaming revenue notably rebounded in February this year, driven largely by online gaming.