Maryland's Fourth Casino Opens This Week

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.

Lakes Entertainment Inc. of Minnetonka, Minn., aims to open the gambling parlor Wednesday through its Evitts Resort LLC subsidiary. 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.

The casino opening is contingent on a successful demonstration of gambling operations Monday for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
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