PENN Entertainment Sets August 11 as Grand Opening Date for New Hollywood Casino Joliet in Illinois
New land-based casino will be the featured attraction of Rock Run Collection's super-regional destination in Chicagoland
PENN Entertainment, Inc. ("PENN" or the "Company") (NASDAQ:PENN) announced today that it expects to open the new land-based Hollywood Casino Joliet to the public on Monday, August 11, pending customary regulatory approvals. PENN's newest casino is scheduled to open nearly six months ahead of the Company's originally scheduled construction timeline.
The new state-of-the-art destination entertainment facility will anchor Rock Run Collection, a new super-regional commercial and residential development, conveniently located adjacent to the Interstate 80 and Interstate 55 interchange that estimates to have 230,000 passing vehicles daily. The best-in-class property will feature approximately 1,000 slots and 43 live table games, including a baccarat room, a retail ESPN BET sportsbook, an approximately 10,000 square foot event center with meeting areas, and roughly 1,330 parking spaces. The Company expects to have approximately 600 team members at the new casino, growing PENN's employee roster in Joliet by 200.
"The countdown to the opening of our newest casino begins today," said Jay Snowden, Chief Executive Officer and President for PENN. "The move from our existing riverboat significantly improves our offerings in the highly attractive Chicagoland market, and both our existing customers and new guests will be able to enjoy premier gaming, dining, and entertainment at this exceptionally accessible new location."
Hollywood Casino Joliet will introduce numerous world class quality dining experiences for guests to enjoy. As previously announced, PENN has partnered with celebrity chef and entrepreneur Giada De Laurentiis to debut her fusion of classic Italian cuisine and modern California influence in the Chicagoland region for the first time. Sorellina by Giada will offer approximately 170 seats for dining and a contemporary bar featuring a comprehensive wine selection with a light, young, and casual aesthetic.
PENN has also partnered with McClain Camarota Hospitality ("MCH") to bring prominent Chicago chefs and restaurants to Hollywood Casino Joliet. Through this partnership, the property will feature the Boulevard Food & Drink Hall, a dynamic dining experience that will include Lucky Goat, an all-new burger concept from celebrity chef Stephanie Izard; Antique Taco, the first suburban location for the popular gourmet taco restaurant; Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the Chicago favorite that also has store fronts in Logan Square and Lincoln Park; and Five50 Pizza, a New York-style meets Neapolitan pizza concept offering from the fine dining chefs at MCH.
"We're thrilled to partner with these elite restauranteurs to bring amazing dining options to the new Hollywood Casino Joliet," said Todd George, Executive Vice President of Operations for PENN. "These concepts will create a vibrant atmosphere throughout the property and provide our patrons with an array of food and beverage offerings that are unmatched in the market."
Additional details related to the grand opening of the new casino will be provided in advance of August 11. The Company expects to work with the Illinois Gaming Board on the transfer of operations from the existing Hollywood Casino Joliet, which is located on the Des Plaines River, to the new landside facility as the opening date nears.
In the third quarter, PENN anticipates accessing approximately $130 million in funding from Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. for this $185 million project.
About Hollywood Casino Joliet
Opened in 1992 on the shores of the Des Plaines River, Hollywood Casino Joliet, operated by PENN Entertainment, features hundreds of the latest slot machines and table games along with electrifying entertainment and premier dining experiences. A new $185 million land-based Hollywood Casino Joliet is scheduled to open in the summer of 2025 featuring approximately 1,000 slots and 43 live table games, an ESPN BET sportsbook, several new restaurants and bars, event center and meeting space, and ample parking. For more information, visit www.hollywoodcasinojoliet.com
About PENN Entertainment
PENN Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries ("PENN," or the "Company"), is North America's leading provider of integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gaming experiences. PENN operates in 28 jurisdictions throughout North America, with a broadly diversified portfolio of casinos, racetracks, and online sports betting and iCasino offerings under well-recognized brands including Hollywood Casino®, L'Auberge®, ESPN BET™, and theScore BET Sportsbook and Casino®. PENN's ability to leverage its partnership with ESPN, the "worldwide leader in sports," and its ownership of theScore™, the top digital sports media brand in Canada, is central to the Company's highly differentiated strategy to expand its footprint and efficiently grow its customer ecosystem. PENN's focus on organic cross-sell opportunities is reinforced by its market-leading retail casinos, sports media assets, and technology, including a proprietary state-of-the-art, fully integrated digital sports and iCasino betting platform, and an in-house iCasino content studio (PENN Game Studios). The Company's portfolio is further bolstered by its industry-leading PENN Play™ customer loyalty program, offering its approximately 32 million members a unique set of rewards and experiences.
Forward Looking Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects," "believes," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "plans," "goal," "seeks," "may," "will," "should," "look forward to," or "anticipates" or the negative or other variations of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. These statements are based upon management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of timing, future results, or performance. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated in these statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those factors described in PENN Entertainment's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including PENN Entertainment's current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except for PENN Entertainment's ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, PENN Entertainment undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Media Contact:
Jeff Morris
VP, Public Affairs
PENN Entertainment, Inc.
[email protected]
610/373-2400
Mike Nieves
SVP, Finance & Treasurer
PENN Entertainment, Inc.
[email protected]
610/373-2400