Hollywood Casino Morgantown opens to great fanfare
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CAERNARVON TWP., Pa. — Would you bet there's some excitement in the air? The bright lights of Hollywood are filling every inch inside Berks County's new casino.
"It's a great day for Berks County," said state Rep. Barry Jozwiak, a Republican.
The long-awaited Hollywood Casino Morgantown is Wyomissing-based Penn National Gaming's home game.
"This place is phenomenal," said Jozwiak, "and it's nice that it's right here."
"This place is going to employ hundreds of people in the area," said state Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Democrat, "and this is going to be a revenue-generator for the state."
Within seconds of opening, the casino drew a crowd from all over Berks County. Jim and Francine Charleston drove down from Hamburg to see what the excitement was all about.
"We gamble every once in a while, not a lot, but we like to come and have a little bit of fun," said Jim Charleston.
But few people had as much fun as Philadelphia Eagles legend Vince Papale, who was a guest of Penn National Gaming and the Barstool Sportsbook.
"This is really cool to be out here," said Papale, whose inspirational story was turned into a Mark Walhberg movie.
But before his football days, Papale was a teacher in Delaware County and happened to teach Paul Stolz, who is now Caernarvon Township's police chief.
"He was just a good kid, you know?" said Papale. "He walked up and said, 'Remember me?' I said, 'Just tell me what your last name is and I'll know who you are.' And then he says, 'I'm Paul Stolz, chief of police here,' and I said, 'Oh, how great is that.' And God bless him."
