PENN Entertainment announced its plans to hold a “groundbreaking ceremony” that will celebrate the start of the construction of a new hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus. The ceremony is set to take place tomorrow, November 28.
Starting at 1 am ET, the ceremony will highlight PENN Entertainment’s excitement about the construction of the state-of-the-art property. The Columbus venue was originally opened in 2012 and has since been growing steadily. According to Jaw Snowden, PENN Entertainment’s president and chief executive officer, a hotel will turn Hollywood Casino Columbus into a “true regional destination.”
According to PENN Entertainment’s announcement, the hotel has an estimated budget of $100 million. The new facility will be added to the existing complex, improving the overall Hollywood Casino Columbus experience.
The completed building will feature a new restaurant, a meeting space and 180 rooms for guests. The hotel is expected to create approximately 100 new permanent jobs, adding an instant boost to the local economy.
PENN Is Proceeding with Four Growth Projects
PENN Entertainment’s new Columbus hotel is in line with the company’s growth strategy. The company is currently working on three other new growth projects in addition to the new Columbus hotel. These include new land-based casinos in Aurora and Joliet, Illinois, as well as an additional hotel tower in Henderson, Nevada.
The Aurora project will have $50 in funding from the local government. Gaming and Leisure Properties, on the other hand, has added a further $575 million toward PENN Entertainment’s four growth projects. The total funding of the projects, for reference, is $850 million.
Rick Skinner, PENN Entertainment’s vice president and general manager of Hollywood Casino Columbus commented on ceremony, expressing his company’s excitement about the opportunity to celebrate the occasion with its team, supporters and investors.
We can’t wait to begin hiring new team members and welcoming more visitors from around the region to showcase our new hotel and the excitement of Hollywood Casino Columbus.
Rick Skinner, VP and GM of Hollywood Casino Columbus, PENN Entertainment
Speaking of PENN, the company’s ESPN Bet app, which debuted earlier this month, just surpassed 1.1 million downloads.