The Sugarhouse casino, just weeks away from a grand opening as Philadelphia’s first casino, got a very special delivery today.

KYW’s Mike DeNardo reports that the first shipment of what will eventually be 1,600 slot machines began arriving this morning.

A tractor-trailer backed up to the Sugarhouse casino site on North Delaware Avenue, and 85 slot machines were unloaded.  They were handtrucked onto the casino floor under the watchful eye of state Gaming Control Board officials.

The machines were being lifted onto their platforms, wired up, and configured by technicians.

Ultimately, Sugarhouse will have 1,600 slot machines and 40 table games when it opens sometime in September — the exact date has not yet been announced.

Many of the new slot machines do not have pull-handles, although some do.  Casino officials say most players these days prefer to simply push a button to start the wheels spinning, rather than pull a handle on what used to be called “one-armed bandits.”

As technicians booted up the first of the computerized slot machines, Sugarhouse GM Wendy Hamilton indicated she’s been waiting four years to hear that sound:

“It was December of 2006 that we first were selected for a slot license.  And so it has been quite a while.  But this is probably second (most exciting), only to the day that we open, 64 days from now.”

That would make opening day September 22nd or 23rd.

The casino property is still very much a construction site.  Crews are still installing flooring, walls, and ceilings.

So, four years in the making, the Sugarhouse casino is in the home stretch while Philadelphia’s other casino license holder, Foxwoods, is still trying to get off the ground.

(Photos by KYW’s Mike DeNardo)