PENN Entertainment schedules June 12 opening for 203-room hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus property
What is opening, and when
PENN Entertainment has set June 12 for the opening of a new on-site hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus, a long-planned expansion aimed at adding overnight stays to a property that has operated as a day-trip casino destination since it opened in October 2012.
The new hotel is planned as a seven-story addition adjacent to the casino, with 203 guest rooms in total. The opening date provides the first firm public milestone after earlier company guidance broadly pointed to an opening in the first half of 2026.
Scale, amenities, and how the project has evolved
Project details have varied across different planning and construction updates over time, including room-count references in earlier filings and presentations. The opening plan now centers on 203 rooms, aligning with prior corporate materials that listed a 203-room hotel as the Columbus target.
Publicly described amenities associated with the hotel development include meeting and conference space, a fitness center, and new food-and-beverage options. One planned bar-and-restaurant concept connected to the hotel has been marketed under the name “The Hill.” The hotel has also been described as being within close walking distance of the gaming floor, signaling a design intended to keep overnight visitors on property for entertainment and dining.
Investment and jobs: what has been stated
The hotel plan has been framed as a significant capital investment. Earlier project announcements described an approximately $100 million development and tied the expansion to an estimated 100 additional jobs connected to hotel operations and related services. Employment needs have been reflected in hiring activity associated with the hotel ramp-up ahead of opening.
Why the opening matters for Columbus
Adding an on-site hotel changes how the Hollywood Casino Columbus complex can compete in the regional market. A hotel extends the property’s potential reach beyond same-day visitors, enabling multi-day stays and creating capacity for packaged entertainment weekends that combine gaming, events, and dining. The inclusion of meeting space also positions the property to pursue small-to-midsize group business alongside leisure travel.
For the local hospitality ecosystem, a casino hotel can have mixed effects: it can attract incremental visitors who might also spend time elsewhere in the city, while also internalizing a portion of lodging demand that would otherwise go to surrounding hotels. The scale—203 rooms—places the project in a size range that can influence weekend availability and pricing patterns in its immediate corridor without being a downtown convention-scale property.
Key facts at a glance
Property: Hollywood Casino Columbus (west side of Columbus)
Developer/operator: PENN Entertainment
Opening date announced: June 12
Hotel size: 203 rooms
Casino opened: October 2012
Previously stated project markers: approximately $100 million investment and around 100 new jobs
The June 12 opening date converts a multi-year expansion plan into an operational deadline, as the property transitions from a stand-alone casino into a casino-and-hotel complex.