Hollywood Casino Columbus and the Columbus Building & Construction Trades Council are teaming up for an expansive hotel project slated for the popular casino. A new hotel was announced last year, and groundbreaking is now planned for the fourth quarter of 2023.
The parties inked a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) on July 21, marking the latest step forward in the casino’s evolution. The council plays a crucial role in negotiating labor agreements, advocating for fair wages and working conditions, and ensuring that safety standards are upheld on construction sites.
Dorsey Hager, executive secretary of the Columbus Building Trades Council, explained, “Our Community Benefit Agreement will ensure this project is completed safely on time and on budget while utilizing a diverse local skilled workforce that reflects the community as it relates to people of color, women and veterans.”
The new hotel is set to be an impressive addition to the bustling west side of Columbus and the Ohio casino landscape. Occupying a generous 150,000 square feet, it will feature 200 rooms, including a variety of suites, an additional food and beverage option, enhanced conference and meeting spaces, a fitness center and a scenic outdoor seating terrace.
New hotel to provide a lasting boon to west Columbus
It’s not just the construction workers who will benefit from the hotel project. In addition to construction jobs, Hollywood Casino Columbus expects that the completed hotel will result in approximately 100 new permanent positions and will draw new business to the area.
Rick Skinner, VP and general manager of Hollywood Casino said:
“We are excited to bring new amenities in addition to a fabulous place for our players to stay. This will allow us to provide a full conference and banquet package for our Sales team to offer existing clients but also attract new business to Central Ohio and the Westside with our conference and meeting space abilities.”
Hollywood’s partnership with the CBCT builds on the previous collaboration when the council was responsible for building the casino itself in 2009. According to the council, that project was completed ahead of schedule and under budget.
Skinner concluded, “We look forward to the upcoming months and breaking ground on this beautiful new hotel, as well as this great partnership we continue to hold with the Columbus Building & Construction Trades Council.”
Penn Entertainment owns Hollywood Columbus along with three other Ohio casino properties: Hollywood Casino Toledo, Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley and Hollywood Dayton Gaming Raceway.
Hollywood’s casino hotel will be the first in Ohio, but others could follow
Miami Valley Gaming and Racing announced plans to add a hotel before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. They’ve since put the $100 million hotel expansion plans on hold as they adapt to the post-COVID landscape.
As Craig Robinson, president and general manager of the racino, told Butler County’s Journal News, “We want to design it for the long term. Do it very well, very right.”
They’re waiting to see how customer expectations in the hospitality industry shift in the aftermath of the pandemic. However, this has not put a halt to all expansion efforts. Miami Valley Gaming went ahead with broadening their outdoor gaming patio from 2,000 to 10,000 square feet, providing a more spacious environment and more games for their patrons.
In addition, the former Acres Buffet area was transformed into two unique dining options: Lucia’s Italian and Route 63 Comfort Classics. That decision was informed by feedback from customers who expressed a desire for a different dining experience after the pandemic.
Ohio casinos, racinos seeing growth
With Ohio’s casinos and racinos showing a consistent trend of slow yet steady growth, there could be potential for other establishments to follow suit, adding new hotels and other amenities to meet rising demand.
Particularly, the addition of retail sportsbooks at all Ohio gaming locations earlier this year could add to the demand for lodging as well. All four of PENN’s Ohio properties have added Barstool Sportsbook retail locations, including Hollywood Columbus.
The recent and planned expansions at two of Ohio’s most popular gaming locations could be an indicator of what’s to come: a trend of further expansions and new hotels at Oho casinos.
We’ll have our eye on the largest players in the Ohio casino landscape like MGM Northfield Park, JACK Cleveland, Eldorado Scioto Downs and Hard Rock Cincinnati.