Aztar Corp., owner of the Tropicana casinos, is trying to craft a deal to build a slots parlor near the proposed minor league baseball stadium on the Agere Systems site in east Allentown, according to sources who have talked with developers and casino operators.

Aztar, based in Phoenix, Ariz., is one of at least three casino operators expected to apply for licenses to run a slots parlor in the Lehigh Valley, now that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has agreed to start taking applications Nov. 1.

Among those, Bethlehem developer Louis Pektor on Friday confirmed he has a gambling partner who plans to apply to bring slots to the Route 33 corridor.

To date, only Las Vegas Sands Corp., owner of the Venetian casino, has rolled out a plan for a slots parlor, but Thursday's decision by the gaming board to begin taking applications was like a shot opening the race to bring gambling to the Lehigh Valley.

''Anyone who thought there would be only one applicant in the Lehigh Valley is in a fantasy world,'' said state Rep. T.J. Rooney, D-Lehigh/Northampton. ''Including Tropicana's plans for the Agere site, there will be at least three applications and probably more. This is just getting started.''

Earlier this week, Las Vegas Sands officials complained that other gambling operators with designs on the Valley were ''hiding in the bushes.''

That is expected to change, now that a window of Nov. 1 to Dec. 28 has been set to apply for gaming licenses that do not involve horse racing. But state Rep. Doug Reichley, R-Lehigh, is urging Valley leaders to be patient before backing any particular plan.

''It's almost a foregone conclusion that the Lehigh Valley is going to get a license, so this is going to be a major regional decision,'' Reichley said. ''Before any of us start throwing our support behind any plan, we owe it to ourselves to view every plan.''

For now, only Las Vegas Sands has made its plans known. Its proposal calls for up to $879 million in development, including a $350 million slots parlor and hotel complex, a $200 million upscale mall, preservation of several Bethlehem Steel buildings and up to 1,200 apartments.

But Rooney said he's been told by Agere site developers that Aztar is mapping out plans to build a slots parlor. The complex would occupy the remaining portion of the site, which is slated for a $34.3 million, 7,000-seat minor league baseball stadium being developed by team owners Craig Stein and Joseph Finley.

''My understanding is that Tropicana has an option for 30 acres on the Agere site,'' Rooney said. ''Why they refuse to come forth with their plans is beyond me. Eventually, we will see all of these applications because this process will be open.''

Lehigh County Executive candidate Don Cunningham said he has been approached by Aztar representatives who wanted his support for their plans for a slots parlor in Allentown.

County Executive Jane Ervin and Agere officials would not comment on the matter.

Aztar officials in February said they were interested in locating a slots parlor in the Lehigh Valley, but Friday would not confirm specific plans for Allentown.

''We are excited about the possibilities in Pennsylvania,'' said Joe Cole, Aztar's vice president of corporate communications. ''We're looking at opportunities in that area, but have nothing concrete to report.''

Aztar operates riverboat casinos in Missouri and Indiana, a 1,500-room hotel and casino outside Las Vegas, and its flagship Atlantic City resort, which includes a 2,100-room hotel and casino and a newly opened $285 million entertainment center called The Quarter.

Aztar showed interest in Bethlehem at Route 412 and Interstate 78, but failed to make a formal bid.

Pektor, the Bethlehem developer who made an unsuccessful bid to buy Bethlehem land at Route 412 for a slots parlor complex, said he has a new gambling partner and expects to file an application for a license by the end of the year. He plans to locate in the Route 33 corridor, but would not reveal the exact location or casino operator.

Like Reichley, Pektor urged Valley residents to wait for all of the applications to be filed before they begin rooting for a winner.

''When this is all done, there will be other options. You can count on that,'' Pektor said. ''I would hope people will wait for all the applications before making up their minds.''