Penn Entertainment’s new growth projects are quickly moving forward.
Only one day after Penn announced the groundbreaking for a hotel at its Hollywood Casino Columbus property in Ohio, the company released details for another project in Illinois. A groundbreaking event for the future Hollywood Casino Aurora will take place tomorrow for a new land-based casino, hotel, and entertainment facility.
The new site will replace Penn Entertainment’s nearby riverboat casino.
“Our partnership with the City of Aurora has provided an opportunity to relocate our property to an ideal location that will significantly improve our offerings and further our positive economic impact on the community,” said Penn Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden in a statement.
The $360 million site will be located next to the Chicago Premium Outlets, which Penn stated attracts more than eight million visitors every year. Located near Interstate 88 in Aurora, Hollywood Casino Aurora will include approximately 1,200 gaming positions, 220 guest rooms, sportsbook, an outdoor entertainment area, a full-service spa, bars and restaurants, and an 12,000-square-foot events center.
Penn expects to create 700 construction jobs for the project, with 700 permanent jobs at the new site, nearly doubling the number of current team members in Aurora.
The development includes a transfer of land parcels from the city of Aurora. Up to $50 million of the project will be funded by the city through a bond issuance.
The move from the riverboat to land was spurred by a law signed in 2019 that allows riverboat casinos to relocate on land. The existing Hollywood Casino Aurora on the Fox River will maintain normal operations while the facility is constructed over a 24-month period.
The Hollywood Casino Aurora project is part of a previously announced plan of growth projects in Joliet, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio, and Henderson, Nevada. Gaming and Leisure Properties has committed up to $575 million toward the $850 million budget for the four growth projects.