None of that is going to change,' she said. 'When you walk out of the door, you will feel that natural scenery, you will still be in that. Maryland Park Service Superintendent Nita Settina said she doesn't expect the casino to clash with the park's natural charm. General Manager Scott Just, a Lakes Entertainment vice president, said the casino was designed to be in harmony with the rustic character of the hotel, formerly the Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort, and its Appalachian setting. The casino, Maryland's fourth, will add 250 jobs at the resort, where employment historically has ranged from about 100 in the winter to 400 in the summer.
The casino opening is contingent on a successful demonstration of gambling operations Monday for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. It will offer 558 slot machines and 10 table games in converted conference space at the newly rechristened Rocky Gap Casino Resort, 130 miles west of Baltimore. of Minnetonka, Minn., aims to open the gambling parlor Wednesday through its Evitts Resort LLC subsidiary.
(AP) - The flashy jangle of slot machines is a far cry from the stillness of Rocky Gap State Park in western Maryland, but state and local leaders are betting that this week's planned casino opening will transform a struggling lakeside lodge into the economic engine its planners envisioned 15 years ago.
