A 200-room hotel is set to rise next to the Hollywood Casino Columbus, with construction kicking off this fall. This development has been in the works since the casino opened in 2012, and Ohio’s gambling enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating this integrated resort. Despite the presence of four major casinos in Ohio, none have included an on-site hotel until now.
The concept of hotels integrated with casinos is a well-established trend in the gambling industry, yet Ohio has been late to the game. Other major casinos in the state, like Jack Casino in Cleveland and Hard Rock Casino in Cincinnati, have opted for partnerships with neighboring downtown hotels. With the Columbus development, the state will witness its first on-site casino hotel.
Currently, Hollywood Casino Columbus is linked to the Hilliard Holiday Inn, which is more than five miles away. A few hotels like the Red Roof Inn and 40 Motel are in close proximity to the casino on West Broad Street, but none share the same site.
Penn Entertainment, the company behind the Hollywood Casino, has committed to a “community benefit agreement” with the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, which is expected to expedite the construction process. Dorsey Hager, Executive Director of the Council, expressed his pleasure at partnering again with Penn, having previously worked on the construction of the Hollywood Casino in 2009.
The proposed seven-story hotel, to be managed by Penn, will sprawl over 150,000 square feet adjacent to the current casino. Features include 200 rooms and suites, a restaurant, conference space, fitness center, and outdoor terrace. A walkway is planned to connect the hotel to the casino.
Hollywood Casino’s Vice President and General Manager, Rick Skinner, expects that the hotel will create around 100 jobs. He 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 West Side with our conference and meeting space abilities.”
As the first of its kind in Ohio, the integrated resort will begin construction in fall 2023.
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