Construction workers broke ground today for a new hotel connected to one of Ohio’s four casinos.
PENN Entertainment held a ceremony for the construction kickoff earlier today at 1 p.m. With the ceremony, the company officially started the process of adding a hotel to its Hollywood Casino Columbus.
Ohio online casinos aren’t legal yet. But PENN has a decent share of the brick-and-mortar industry in the Buckeye State. Along with the Columbus property, the company also owns a Hollywood-branded casino in Toledo.
“We are thrilled to soon begin construction on a new, state-of-the-art hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus,” PENN Entertainment CEO and President Jay Snowden said in a release.
New hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus will include nearly 200 rooms
The project at Hollywood Casino Columbus is no small feat. It boasts a budget of $100 million.
Plans call for this hotel to sprawl 150,000 square feet and house 180 rooms. These rooms will include a variety of suites and several different food and beverage options. There will be meeting spaces, conference rooms, a fitness center and an outdoor seating terrace.
Keep an eye out for any updates from PENN Entertainment. In the release, the company stated that plans call for other “amenities that will be announced at a later date.”
Additionally, the project is expected to add hundreds of construction jobs. Once complete, PENN Entertainment believes the hotel will have another 100 new permanent jobs, according to the release.
“We are elated to be celebrating this day with our team members, supporters, and key stakeholders,” said Hollywood Casino Columbus Vice President & General Manager Rick Skinner said in a statement. “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.”
New hotel hopes to add to booming business in central Ohio
Snowden hopes the hotel addition could make the Columbus location an epicenter for entertainment in Ohio.
“Since opening in 2012, our Columbus property has experience trenemdous growth, and the addition of a hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus will create a true regional destination.”
The hotel, located at 200 Georgesville Road in Columbus, resides in a bustling area.
Back in July, when plans first emerged for the hotel, Skinner said he was excited to bring new amenities to an already exciting place for 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 out conference and meeting space abilities.”
Columbus hotel is only one part of PENN’s $850 million plan
Nearby state Illinois headlines PENN Entertainment’s expansion plans. Two land-based casinos are scheduled to be built in Aurora and Joliet, Illinois. Additionally, in Henderson, Nevada, PENN Entertainment plans to build a hotel tower.
The overall budget for these projects and the Columbus hotel comes out to about $850 million. According to a release, the City of Aurora is committing $50 million in funding for its respective project, and Gaming and Leisure Properties is providing up to $575 million.
