Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora Opens After Riverboat Move

AURORA, Ill.: PENN Entertainment has opened Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora, a $360 million land-based casino and hotel in Illinois.

The new property replaces PENN’s former Aurora riverboat casino, which had operated along the Fox River since 1993. The move marks another step in Illinois’ shift away from older riverboat gaming formats toward larger land-based entertainment properties.

The opening follows the previously announced June 24 opening for Hollywood Casino Aurora, with PENN holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony before opening the venue to the public.

New Casino Replaces Fox River Riverboat

Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora covers roughly 388,500 square feet and is located at 2500 N. Farnsworth Ave., near Interstate 88 and Chicago Premium Outlets. The property includes about 1,200 gaming positions, more than 1,000 slot and video poker machines, more than 50 table games and a baccarat room.

The casino floor also includes blackjack, craps, roulette and other table games, while the retail sportsbook features betting tellers, wagering kiosks, racing kiosks and a large viewing screen for sports events.

PENN said the Aurora development employs approximately 700 team members and supported about 700 construction jobs. The company also pointed to its wider investment in the Chicagoland market, including its land-based casino move in Joliet last summer.

Jay Snowden, PENN Entertainment’s chief executive and president, said the company has reinvested more than $500 million in the Chicagoland market over the last three years through the Aurora and Joliet projects. He said the investment is expected to support jobs, state and local tax revenue and regional tourism.

Hotel, Dining and Event Space Added to Casino Site

The new Aurora property includes a seven-story hotel with 226 rooms and suites. It also features a fitness center, room service, indoor access to restaurants and gaming areas, and a wellness spa called Drift Spa.

Dining is a major part of the property’s wider entertainment offer. PENN partnered with Giada De Laurentiis on Sorella by Giada, an Italian steakhouse with indoor and outdoor seating. The Boulevard Food & Drink Hall includes several Chicago-linked food brands and concepts, while Red Lotus Asian Kitchen and the Sportsbook restaurant add further dining options.

The property included a 110-seat bar and entertainment lounge, plus a 12,000-square-foot event center with meeting rooms. The event space can host weddings, community events, conferences, concerts and other gatherings, with an outdoor courtyard also available.

Illinois Land-Based Casino Shift Continues

The Aurora opening is notable because it continues a broader move by Illinois casino operators from riverboat properties to land-based venues. For PENN, the project gives the company a larger hospitality and entertainment footprint in a market where casinos are increasingly being positioned as full resort-style destinations.

Rafael Verde, PENN’s senior vice president of regional operations, said the project was made possible through support from Aurora, the Illinois Gaming Board and construction partners. He described the development as a transition from riverboat gaming to an entertainment destination.

The new Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its opening gives PENN a modernized casino hotel in Aurora while closing a riverboat chapter that had lasted more than three decades.

RELATED TOPICS: Gambling Business