Published on: March 20, 2026, 08:18h.
Updated on: March 20, 2026, 08:18h.
- Penn Entertainment is set to unveil Hollywood Casino Aurora on June 24.
- This land-based casino will replace the longstanding Hollywood Aurora riverboat on the Fox River.
- Penn and its landlord are optimistic about their operations in the Midwest.
Penn Entertainment is entering the final stages of its $360 million investment to launch a new casino and entertainment venue in the Chicagoland area.
The regional gaming leader based in Pennsylvania anticipates welcoming visitors to Hollywood Casino Aurora on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. This innovative brick-and-mortar venue will succeed the long-standing riverboat on the Fox River.
The new casino location is approximately 3.5 air miles northeast of the existing riverboat, conveniently near the Chicago Premium Outlets and Interstate 88, situated just west of N. Farnsworth Ave. at Bilter Rd.
“We are just months away from introducing another premier entertainment hub in the greater Chicago area,” expressed Jay Snowden, CEO and President of Penn Entertainment.
Hollywood Casino Aurora will boast over 1,200 gaming positions including both slots and table games, alongside a retail sportsbook. The destination will also feature a hotel with 226 rooms, a 12,000-square-foot event center, 1,700 parking spaces, a full-service spa, and numerous dining options, including Sorella by Giada, a restaurant from celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis.
Transformative Projects in the Midwest
Both Penn Entertainment and its landlord, Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI), are optimistic about the Midwest market. In addition to Aurora, they have invested $185 million to transition their Joliet riverboat to a land-based property. The updated Hollywood Casino Joliet opened its doors last August, conveniently located near the I-80/I-55 interchange.
“We are excited to build on the successful launch of Hollywood Casino Joliet last summer with yet another new land-based facility, expanding our retail presence in the Midwest and strengthening our ties to the local community,” added Snowden.
In addition, construction is nearly completed on a $100 million, 203-room hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus in Ohio, set to open on June 12.
For the Aurora project, GLPI financed $225 million of the total $360 million investment. The City of Aurora is also contributing $21 million, anticipating that the new casino will drive job creation, increase local taxes, and stimulate economic development. Penn is responsible for the remaining $114 million.
As the opening date approaches, the Illinois Gaming Board will collaborate with Penn officials to transition operations from the Aurora riverboat to the new land-based gaming facility. Meanwhile, the riverboat will continue operations with approximately 1,000 slots and 20 table games.
Hollywood Casino Operations in Illinois
In addition to its two Hollywood casinos in Illinois, Penn also operates the Argosy Casino Alton near St. Louis. Together, these three venues achieved a gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $239.8 million in 2025.
The $239.8 million GGR from these three casinos represented a 12.3% share of the Indiana casino market, which had a statewide GGR of $1.94 billion last year.
Rivers Casino Des Moines remained the leading operator with a GGR of $503.1 million, while Hollywood Joliet ($102.9 million) and Hollywood Aurora ($101.7 million) ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, in a competitive market of 17 casinos.