- State-of-the-Art Facility Features First-Class Dining, Gaming &
Non-Stop Entertainment -
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2012--
The glitz, glamour and thrill of Hollywood has come to Columbus’s West
Side. Today, Penn National Gaming, Inc. (Nasdaq: PENN) rolled out the
red carpet for the opening of Hollywood Casino Columbus, the area’s
first Las Vegas-style casino. Penn National President and Chief
Operating Officer Tim Wilmott officially opened the casino at a 10 a.m.
ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman,
two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, Former Heavyweight Boxing
Champion James “Buster” Douglas and Actress Ann-Margret.
“I would like to officially welcome players to the region’s largest and
newest gaming destination,” Wilmott said. “We’re thrilled for guests
from throughout Ohio and beyond to experience Hollywood’s unique style
of premier gaming, dining and entertainment in a luxurious and modern
atmosphere.
“Many thanks go to the state of Ohio and the Ohio Casino Control
Commission for all of their efforts toward making this day possible. I’m
proud of the partnerships we’ve built with the city of Columbus and
Franklin County which are resulting in new jobs and tax revenues that
are helping to revitalize this area and improve the economy on the West
Side and throughout the region,” Wilmott said.
Located just off I-270 at the Georgesville and Broad Street exits, the
$400 million entertainment destination employs 2,000 permanent full and
part-time team members, in addition to the 3,500 construction jobs
created during its development.
Casino Design
The impressive design of Hollywood Casino Columbus captures guests even
before setting foot on the casino floor. A five million-gallon
reflecting pool flanked by a nearly 50-foot high, V-shaped media wall
marks the casino entrance, setting the tone for the Hollywood glamour
prevalent throughout the interior. Once in the casino, the gaming floor
and surrounding dining areas transport guests to the Golden Age of
Hollywood, with elegant chandeliers, art deco columns and posters of
movie classics. A giant video ribbon uses the latest technology to play
movie trailers, vintage commercials and animation. Flat panel monitors
and video trees interspersed among slots and table games allow guests to
enjoy entertainment and live sports programming as they play.
“This facility represents true glamour and sophistication,” said
Hollywood Casino Columbus General Manager Ameet Patel. “From the décor
to the service to the vast gaming and entertainment offerings, we
seamlessly blend vintage style with modern convenience to offer guests a
memorable red carpet environment that transcends the Hollywood name.”
Exclusive Slot & Video Machines
Hollywood Casino Columbus’ expansive gaming floor is home to more than
3,000 slot machines. New pop culture-themed games including The
Hangover, Sex & the City, Lord of the Rings and Tarzan mix with classics
like Wheel of Fortune, Wizard of Oz and Monopoly to offer guests a
variety of options. Hollywood is also the only casino in the region to
offer the new Michael Jackson slot machine.
Slot lovers will enjoy a wide variety of game denominations ranging from
penny to $100 machines, including some that offer a jackpot of more than
$100,000. Video poker machines range from a penny to $5, with quarter
and dollar progressives. Hollywood will be the first casino to offer
video poker in Columbus, with a variety of machines on the casino floor
as well as at the bar in o.h., Hollywood’s upscale sports and
entertainment lounge.
Hollywood’s slot machines are serviced by a dedicated team of slot
attendants, allowing for quick response time to jackpots. All slot
machine players will receive priority red carpet service on the casino
floor.
Table Games & Poker
With 78 tables of black jack, craps, roulette and more, Hollywood
Columbus boasts the most table games of any casino in the state. Novelty
games include Mini Baccarat, Big 6 Wheel, Crazy 4 Poker, Pai Gow Poker,
Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, Mississippi Stud, Let it Ride Bonus and
Three-Card Poker (a progressive). Adding to the premier gaming
environment, select blackjack tables offer a Royal Match 21 side bet
while craps tables have a Fire Bet with a 999-1 payout.
An exclusive high limit table games area is adjacent to the high limit
slots area and open 24 hours a day. Special side bets are available on
select high limit games.
Hollywood’s poker room features 30 tables offering variations of Texas
Hold ’em and Pot Limit Omaha. The room is designed for maximum guest
comfort, with rich woods, player drink holders at every table and sports
programming on more than 25 LCD screens.
Marquee Rewards
Hollywood’s multi-tiered Marquee Rewards program takes players’ gaming
experience to a whole new level. Using one card, guests can earn points
for playing at three Hollywood Casinos in the region—Columbus, Toledo
and Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Points accrue toward a variety of rewards,
including meals at casino restaurants and merchandise at the Studio
Store. Hollywood’s cashier cage and players services area is combined
into a single location on the casino floor, making it easy for guests to
address both financial and guest service transactions.
Dining & Retail
Dining options at Hollywood Casino Columbus range from laid-back casual
to first-class refined. All four dining choices focus on fresh, local
ingredients, but add their own distinct flair to make their flavors
stand apart.
At the 150-seat Final Cut Steak & Seafood, guests will dine in elegance
next to light-filled displays showcasing gowns, tuxedos and jewels worn
by stars of Hollywood past. The menu—created by Head Chef Eric Jones,
previously the Executive Sous Chef at Cameron Mitchell’s American
Bistro—features only prime cut steaks, a rarity in the market. Specialty
dishes including pastas, fresh seafood delivered daily, and desserts
made from scratch balance out the restaurant’s offerings. An intimate
cocktail lounge boasts a custom martini menu and more than 150 varieties
of wine. Final Cut also offers a private dining room which can
accommodate as many as 24 guests.
Named after the popular Ohio chant, sports bar and entertainment lounge
o.h. is located in the heart of the gaming action. More than 300 seats
offer great views of the casino floor, plus the best seat in town for
watching sports. Craft beers and specialty drinks will complement a
made-from-scratch menu featuring a selection of sandwiches, flatbread
pizzas and burgers. Tailgate specials will be offered during games. On
weekends and select weekdays, the venue’s stage will feature live
entertainment.
The casino’s 300-seat Epic Buffet is unparalleled in the market;
combining made-to-order selections with fresh buffet options to offer
guests a variety of choices. Featured stations include
carving/rotisserie, homemade pizza and Italian, a grill with steak,
veggies and seafood, and Asian. Joining these are offerings of various
soups, salads and homemade desserts. Private dining rooms seat up to 100
people and can be rented for receptions and community events.
Guests can dine 24/7 on freshly made burgers, sandwiches and milkshakes
at Take 2 Grill. The restaurant also features breakfast and Starbucks
Coffee for early risers, as well as a selection of pastries and desserts.
Studio Store satisfies guests’ retail needs with a variety of Hollywood
Casino merchandise as well as local souvenirs, sunglasses, jewelry and
handbags.
Events
Hollywood’s lavishly decorated Event Center can accommodate up to 1,000
guests for cocktails and hors d’oeurves, and as many as 660 guests for a
seated dinner. It’s the only event location in the market that offers
gaming entertainment.
Getting There
Hollywood Casino Columbus is conveniently located just off of I-270,
minutes from downtown Columbus. Upon arrival, guests have the option to
valet park at the porte-cochere or take advantage of the casino parking
garage. The casino has more than 3,700 complimentary parking spots.
For more information, visit http://www.hollywoodcolumbus.com/.
About Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming owns, operates or has ownership interests in gaming
and racing facilities with a focus on slot machine entertainment. The
company presently operates twenty-eight facilities in nineteen
jurisdictions, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New
Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and
Ontario. In aggregate, Penn National's operated facilities currently
feature approximately 34,700 gaming machines, approximately 800 table
games, 2,400 hotel rooms and approximately 1.5 million square feet of
gaming floor space. Penn National has agreed to acquire Harrah’s St.
Louis gaming and lodging facility from Caesars Entertainment with the
transaction expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual
results may vary materially from expectations. Although Penn National
Gaming, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) believe
that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions within the
bounds of our knowledge of our business and operations, there can be no
assurance that actual results will not differ materially from our
expectations. Meaningful factors that could cause actual results to
differ from expectations include, but are not limited to, risks related
to the following: our ability to receive and maintain, or delays in
obtaining, the regulatory approvals required to own, develop and/or
operate our facilities, or other delays or impediments to completing our
planned acquisitions or projects, including favorable resolution of any
related litigation; our ability to receive timely regulatory approval
for and to otherwise complete our planned acquisition of Harrah’s St.
Louis (failure to do so could, among other things, result in the loss of
certain deposits); our ability to successfully integrate Harrah’s St.
Louis into our existing business; our expectations for the continued
availability and cost of capital; our dependence on key personnel; the
impact of terrorism and other international hostilities; and other
factors as discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2011, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
and Current Reports on Form 8-K as filed with the SEC. The Company does
not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statements except as
required by law.
Source: Penn National Gaming, Inc.
Penn National Gaming, Inc.
Eric Schippers, 610-378-8321
Sr.
Vice President, Public Affairs & Govt. Relations
or
TBC
Public Relations
Brent Burkhardt/Pamela Gorsuch
410-986-1303 /
1219
bburkhardt@tbc.us / pgorsuch@tbc.us
