PENN Entertainment expects to open its Hollywood Casino Joliet in Illinois on August 11, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
The venue’s opening comes nearly six months ahead of the original scheduled construction timeline and PENN Entertainment is working closely with the Illinois Gaming Board to transfer operations from the existing Hollywood Casino Joliet to the new facility in time for the planned opening.
Hollywood Casino Joliet will offer approximately 1,000 slots and 43 live table games, as well as a baccarat room, ESPN BET sportsbook, and 10,000-square-foot event centre.
PENN Entertainment expects to have around 600 staff members at the casino, which will increase the operator’s headcount in Joliet by 200.
To finance the project, PENN anticipates accessing $130 million in funding from Gaming and Leisure Properties in the third quarter of this year.
The move to the new venue follows a change in Illinois law in 2019 which allowed riverboat casinos to move to land.
“The countdown to the opening of our newest casino begins today,” said PENN Entertainment CEO and president Jay Snowden. “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.”
Shares in PENN Entertainment Inc (NASDAQ:PENN) closed 0.40 per cent lower at $15.11 per share in New York Thursday.