WYOMISSING, PA — PENN Entertainment (Nasdaq: PENN) has opened its new $360 million Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora, completing the company’s transition from its longtime riverboat casino on the Fox River to a larger land-based resort designed to strengthen its position in the Chicago-area gaming market.
The roughly 388,500-square-foot property replaces a riverboat casino that had operated in Aurora since 1993 and represents part of more than $500 million PENN has invested in the Chicagoland market during the past three years, including a landside move in Joliet.
The casino and hotel opened to the public following a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Illinois Gaming Board officials, local leaders and company executives.
“We have reinvested over $500 million in the Chicagoland market over the last three years, resulting in more jobs, meaningful state and local tax revenue, and further enhancing the region as a must-visit destination,” Chief Executive Jay Snowden said in a statement.
The development employs about 700 workers and supported approximately 700 construction jobs, according to the company. The property operates around the clock, seven days a week.
The new resort features more than 1,000 slot machines, over 50 table games, a baccarat room and a retail sportsbook. PENN said the property also includes a 226-room hotel, a wellness spa, a 12,000-square-foot event center and approximately 1,700 parking spaces.
The project underscores a broader industry trend of former riverboat operators investing in larger, land-based facilities that can generate additional revenue from hotels, dining and entertainment offerings beyond gaming.
Dining options include Sorella by Giada, an Italian steakhouse developed in partnership with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, and the Boulevard Food & Drink Hall, which features concepts from several Chicago-area restaurateurs and chefs.
Senior Vice President of Regional Operations Rafael Verde described the opening as “a collaborative effort to transition from riverboat gaming to an entertainment destination.”
The new casino is located at 2500 N. Farnsworth Ave., adjacent to the Chicago Premium Outlets near Interstate 88. It replaces PENN’s former downtown Aurora riverboat property, which had been in operation for more than three decades.
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