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The Sands, the largest in Pennsylvania in terms of total investment and one that models itself after the Atlantic City casinos, targets customers from North Jersey and New York who can literally get dropped off in its parking garage via Interstate 78.

"Our business has not seen any lingering impact other than the first few days of the storm," Sands president Robert DeSalvio said on Monday. "We never lost power at the Sands. The casino stayed open the whole time."

DeSalvio said crowds had thinned Oct. 29, when Sandy made its way through Pennsylvania, and all day Oct. 30. By the evening of Oct. 31, the casino was back to full business levels.

Atlantic City casinos, which were closed for four-plus days because of Sandy, have reported much lower business volumes because of the hurricane's impact on neighborhoods in North Jersey and New York. Half of Atlantic City's customers come from those markets.

Parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp. has invested more than $800 million into the Sands Bethlehem, which sits on the former site of the Bethlehem Steel plant. The property has been adding amenities, including a 302-room hotel, an outlet mall that debuted last year (with 22 of its 30 planned stores now open), and a 2,500-seat events center in May.

Its hotel, which includes 22 suites, meeting space, and a swimming pool, clearly benefited from the storm. DeSalvio said the hotel reported 13 straight days of 100 percent occupancy from Oct. 29 to Nov. 10.

"Part of that were crews from the utility companies staying here to work in Pennsylvania and New Jersey," he said, "and part of that were distressed guests from the northern Jersey area and those locally who lost power. The rest was normal casino business."

The amenities, including 152 gaming tables, have paid off. Sands was ranked No. 1 among the 11 Pennsylvania casinos in table games revenue, from April to September of this year. For 11 of the last 12 months, it has edged out Parx - the state's top-grossing casino in slots revenue - in table games revenue, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

"We probably introduced new people to the Sands," DeSalvio said of the storm's impact. "But our thoughts and prayers are with those who were affected by the storm."

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