Georgia Gaming Market Assessment - Pennsylvania Treasury

Pennsylvania Wilds
Vineyards, the Little League World Series, and Millionaire’s Row attract visitors to Williamsport
and the surrounding Lycoming County. The rest of the region draws tourists with natural
attractions, such as the Clarion River, and Kinzua State Park.
The Alleghenies Region
Altoona and Johnstown are both located among the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania,
known for their natural beauty and outdoor recreation opportunities. Both cities are also home to
famous engineering feats designed to deal with the dramatic local terrain. Johnstown is home to
the Johnstown Inclined Plane, a funicular built in 1889 that is reported to be the world’s steepest
vehicular incline. Altoona, a former hub on the Pennsylvania Railroad, is home to the Allegheny
Portage Railroad National Historic Site, and the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Site, which
celebrates a tight railway turn along the mountains that was an engineering marvel when it
opened in 1854. State College, home to Pennsylvania State University, draws in the friends and
family of students. Alumni also pack the schools stadiums for sporting events, especially
football. Around the city, the Pennsylvania countryside, with its covered bridges, also attracts
visitors.
Dutch Country Roads
Tourists flock to Pennsylvania Dutch Country to see Amish farm country and various Civil War
battlefields, making this region the largest recipient of tourist dollars in the state behind the
Philadelphia area. Besides local handicrafts, visitors also shop for bargains at the region’s outlet
malls, as well as at a local Cabella’s outlet. The pretzel company, Snyder’s of Hanover, attracts
visitors to its facility in the town of Hanover, as do other food companies with operations in the
area. Finally, the town of Hershey, with its amusement park and chocolate factory, is located to
the north, near Harrisburg.
Berks County
Reading and surrounding Berks County is included in Dutch Country Roads region for the
purposes of collecting tourist data. Berks country receives a much smaller amount of tourist
spending than neighboring Lancaster County. Every year, Reading hosts what promoters call the
largest jazz festival on the east coast, contributing to the city’s reputation for quality offerings in
the arts. In the surrounding countryside, the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary provides access to
natural beauty, as do other State and County parks.
UPSTATEPA
The Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania is an all-season vacation and honeymoon
destination for people along the Mid-Atlantic coast for decades. The mountains host hiking,
biking, fishing, and canoeing in the warmer months, while eight ski resorts provide winter
recreation. Outlet shopping is an additional draw.
Philadelphia and the Countryside
Philadelphia and its surrounding counties draw the largest share of tourist dollars to
Pennsylvania. Historic sites, such as the Liberty Bell and Liberty Bell Center, Independence
Hall, the Philadelphia Zoo, historic homes, and various arts institutions are major draws within
the city. In the counties that surround the city, Fort Mifflin (site of a Revolutionary War battle),
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