Latest news with #Ameristar
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Northwest Indiana casinos report decrease in June revenue
Northwest Indiana's three casinos reported revenues of $65.8 million in June, a decrease of about 7% from the approximately $70.8 million reported for the same month last year, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission's monthly gaming report. Hard Rock Northern Indiana saw a decrease in earnings with about $31.7 million reported for June 2025 compared to $36.7 million reported in June 2024, according to the report. Matt Schuffert, president of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, said June is typically a challenging month for casinos as people attend graduations, weddings, and vacations. 'It's always our slowest month of the year,' Schuffert said. 'There's just a lot more things going on in people's lives. That was certainly the case this June, for us. Certainly seen one of our softer Junes since opening, but we certainly understand why.' June is a challenging month for regional casinos, as opposed to destination casinos, because people have more options to spend their budgeted entertainment dollars on as summer kicks off, Schuffert said. 'When people have other things occupying their time and taking away from their entertainment wallet, their entertainment dollar, then you're going to see businesses like this, on the entertainment side, have a lighter month,' Schuffert said. 'We budget that way, learn to live with it and we move on.' The casino added four slot machines with a $1 million jackpot in June, Schuffert said. June was the Hard Rock's lowest table game hold since the property opened, Schuffert said, which means that a lot of people won major jackpots in June. 'Certainly, that's something that we celebrate with our customers, all the wins,' Schuffert said. 'For us, kind of a challenging June, as it is for most of the market, just with a lot of other things going on and some large table games winning.' Horseshoe Hammond saw a revenue increase, while Ameristar Casino in East Chicago reported a decrease in revenue year over year in June. Horseshoe Hammond reported $21.2 million in revenues in June 2025, compared to $20 million in revenues in June 2024. Ameristar Casino reported $12.9 million in revenues in June 2025, a dip from $14.1 million in revenues in June 2024, according to the report. Ameristar reported a slight increase in revenue, while Hard Rock and Horseshoe Hammond reported a decrease in revenues from May to June. Ameristar reported $12.6 million in revenues in May and $12.9 million in revenues in June, according to the report. Hard Rock reported $39.9 million in revenues in May and $31.7 million in revenues in June, while Horseshoe Hammond reported $23.8 million in May and $21.2 million in revenues in June, according to the report. Horseshoe Hammond and Ameristar officials did not respond to requests for comment. For Hard Rock, July is trending well, Schuffert said, especially given that the Fourth of July holiday fell on a Friday this year. Then, the late summer and early fall entertainment calendar picks back up, he said. 'We look forward to rolling into that,' Schuffert said.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
High-speed train linking NYC to Los Angeles proposed ahead of FIFA World Cup
A high-speed rail line hopes to connect Los Angeles to New York City in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A proposal — dubbed 'The Transcontinental Chief' and pitched to Amtrak as well as President Trump and his secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy — would shoot riders between the country's two biggest cities in just 72 hours. Delaware-based Ameristar Rail said it would use existing infrastructure owned by Amtrak and other regional rail lines passing through major cities like Kansas City, Chicago and Philadelphia rather than launch a massive and costly new public project. Advertisement It would be funded by private investors — not taxpayers — and would carry vehicles as well as passengers, modeled after Europe's truck transport trains, Ameristar said. A proposed high-speed rail line could soon connect Los Angeles to New York City in under 72 hours. 'The Transcontinental Chief will be a great opportunity for Amtrak to team up with the private sector to confront the challenges of its money-losing long-distance trains and create opportunities to usher in a profitable Golden Age of rail travel for passengers and truckers, with the ingenuity of free enterprise, as we celebrate our great nation's 250th birthday next year,' Scott Spencer, AmeriStarRail's chief operating officer, wrote in a letter to Amtrak, according to Newsweek. Advertisement AmeriStarRail hopes to have it running by May 10, 2026 — in time for the FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted across North America, with the finals at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The plan has been pitched to President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, the paper reported. The Trump administration has been notified of the proposal, which would utilize already-existing rail infrastructure. muratart – Ameristar leaders said taxpayers will not foot the project, which would be funded by private investors. Advertisement 'Subject to operating agreements with the host railroads (BNSF, Norfolk Southern and New Jersey Transit) the Transcontinental Chief can start operations on National Train Day, Sunday, May 10, 2026 to begin serving tourists for America 250 celebrations and the 2026 FIFA World Cup,' a spokesperson said. 'The Transcontinental Chief can be privately operated and funded, without new congressional legislation or additional federal spending.' Amtrak has not yet responded to the proposal, according to Newsweek.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Chicago man charged in deadly Hammond crash
A Chicago man is charged in a drunken deadly Hammond crash in March. Joellic Herron, 30, is charged with Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or More, Causing Catastrophic Injury When Operating a Motor Vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or More and Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Motor Vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or More. He has not been apprehended. When arrested, he is ordered held without bail. When Hammond police arrived just before 1 p.m. March 15 on the 3000 block of Michigan Street, they concluded Herron went into the east lanes and hit another car head-on. Rosa M Lopez, 72, a passenger in the other vehicle, was later pronounced dead. She died from abdominal injuries from the crash. Lopez's husband had four fractured ribs and a fractured leg. A female in Herron's vehicle was also injured. Lopez's husband said they went to the Ameristar casino in East Chicago for a few hours that morning and were headed to Cline Avenue to go home to Illinois. 'It all happened too quickly,' he said. 'All I remember saying is Mamma Mia. I grabbed the steering wheel and then my mind went blank.' His wife said she couldn't feel her legs. She was crying from the pain. A native of Mexico, she lived in south Chicago, then the south suburbs and was a beloved mother and grandmother, according to her obituary. She was the 'cherished backbone' of the family — who made delicious Mexican food, loved the casinos and had an 'unparalleled talent for spreading happiness.' A new court date is not yet set. mcolias@
Chicago Tribune
06-06-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago man charged in deadly Hammond crash
A Chicago man is charged in a drunken deadly Hammond crash in March. Joellic Herron, 30, is charged with Causing Death When Operating a Motor Vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or More, Causing Catastrophic Injury When Operating a Motor Vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or More and Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Motor Vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08% or More. He has not been apprehended. When arrested, he is ordered held without bail. When Hammond police arrived just before 1 p.m. March 15 on the 3000 block of Michigan Street, they concluded Herron went into the east lanes and hit another car head-on. Rosa M Lopez, 72, a passenger in the other vehicle, was later pronounced dead. She died from abdominal injuries from the crash. Lopez's husband had four fractured ribs and a fractured leg. A female in Herron's vehicle was also injured. Lopez's husband said they went to the Ameristar casino in East Chicago for a few hours that morning and were headed to Cline Avenue to go home to Illinois. 'It all happened too quickly,' he said. 'All I remember saying is Mamma Mia. I grabbed the steering wheel and then my mind went blank.' His wife said she couldn't feel her legs. She was crying from the pain. A native of Mexico, she lived in south Chicago, then the south suburbs and was a beloved mother and grandmother, according to her obituary. She was the 'cherished backbone' of the family — who made delicious Mexican food, loved the casinos and had an 'unparalleled talent for spreading happiness.' A new court date is not yet set.
Business Wire
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
PENN Entertainment Announces Plans for New Land-Based Hollywood Casino to Replace Riverboat Gaming Operations in Council Bluffs, Iowa
WYOMISSING, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PENN Entertainment, Inc. ('PENN' or the 'Company') (Nasdaq: PENN) announced today plans for an expected $180–$200 million project to relocate its Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs ('Ameristar') riverboat casino operations to a new, state-of-the-art land-based property to be rebranded as Hollywood Casino Council Bluffs ('Hollywood Council Bluffs'). The proposal was approved by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission this morning in conjunction with a 15-year extension of Ameristar's partnership with the nonprofit Qualified Sponsoring Organization ('QSO') Iowa West Racing Association. All commercial operators in Iowa are required to have an operating agreement with a QSO licensed to conduct gaming operations. Under the proposed plan, the new Hollywood Council Bluffs is expected to include roughly 125,000 square feet of new development with approximately 58,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 1,000 positions on a single level. The new facility will complement the existing ESPN BET sportsbook, 160-room hotel and dining options in the landside portion of the current infrastructure. The existing riverboat, which presently offers gaming spread out over three levels, will be vacated upon opening of the new property. 'We are pleased to add another landside relocation to our pipeline of development projects,' said Todd George, Executive Vice President of Operations for PENN. 'This project will enhance the quality and efficiency of our Council Bluffs location and significantly improve the property's competitive positioning in the greater Omaha market. PENN's diversified portfolio of casino properties is core to our omni-channel approach to entertainment, which combines our best-in-class retail operations and a database of more than 32 million PENN Play members with our robust interactive and media footprint. We thank the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission for their approval today and are grateful for the continued collaboration with our partners at the Iowa West Racing Association.' 'We are thrilled with the exciting development plans for the new Hollywood Casino Council Bluffs,' said Brenda Mainwaring, President & CEO of the Iowa West Racing Association. 'For nearly thirty years, the Ameristar riverboat has been providing not only dining and entertainment, but thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in support of our community. PENN's commitment to reinvesting in Council Bluffs is laudable and we are grateful for our ongoing partnership.' Construction of the new facility is expected to take approximately 18-24 months following the design and permitting approval process. The Company is entitled to obtain financing for the project from Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. ('GLPI') (Nasdaq: GLPI) of up to $150 million at a 7.10% cap rate, which may be structured at PENN's option as either rent or a 5-year term loan that is pre-payable at any time without penalty. About PENN Entertainment PENN Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries ('PENN,' or the 'Company'), is North America's leading provider of integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gaming experiences. PENN operates in 28 jurisdictions throughout North America, with a broadly diversified portfolio of casinos, racetracks, and online sports betting and iCasino offerings under well-recognized brands including Hollywood Casino ®, L'Auberge ®, ESPN BET™, and theScore BET Sportsbook and Casino ®. PENN's ability to leverage its partnership with ESPN, the 'worldwide leader in sports,' and its ownership of theScore™, the top digital sports media brand in Canada, is central to the Company's highly differentiated strategy to expand its footprint and efficiently grow its customer ecosystem. PENN's focus on organic cross-sell opportunities is reinforced by its market-leading retail casinos, sports media assets, and technology, including a proprietary state-of-the-art, fully integrated digital sports and iCasino betting platform, and an in-house iCasino content studio (PENN Game Studios). The Company's portfolio is further bolstered by its industry-leading PENN Play™ customer loyalty program, offering its approximately 32 million members a unique set of rewards and experiences. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'expects,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'projects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'goal,' 'seeks,' 'may,' 'will,' 'should,' 'look forward to,' or 'anticipates' or the negative or other variations of these or similar words, or by discussions of future events, strategies or risks and uncertainties. These statements are based upon management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of timing, future results, or performance. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated in these statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those factors described in PENN Entertainment's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 'SEC'), including PENN Entertainment's current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except for PENN Entertainment's ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, PENN Entertainment undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
