Aurora's $360 Million Hollywood Casino Opens June 24 With Celebrity Chefs, Hotel, and Live Shows

From riverboat to entertainment complex

The $360 million Hollywood Casino Aurora is set to open on June 24, replacing the longtime riverboat casino that has operated in downtown Aurora for decades. The new facility along Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road is not just a relocation. It is a full entertainment complex featuring a casino, hotel, spa, multiple celebrity chef restaurants, and a live music venue.

Greg Moore, vice president and general manager of Hollywood Casino Aurora, called the project an "absolute evolution in the strongest sense of the word."

The old property did well, but it was designed to just be a casino. The new location is a full-on entertainment complex.

What opens day one

The casino floor will accommodate around 1,200 people at slot machines and table games. Some slot machines are being transferred from the downtown location, which is scheduled to close approximately 14 days before the new casino opens, according to Moore. All gaming tables are brand new.

Only the casino floor itself will be restricted to patrons 21 years old or older. The rest of the complex is open to all ages.

Celebrity chefs come to the suburbs

The restaurant lineup is the centerpiece of the new strategy. Moore said the goal was to "bring the city to the suburbs" by securing partnerships with internationally known chefs.

Sorella, an Italian steakhouse by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, sits just inside the entrance from the free parking garage. The restaurant will serve hand-made pasta, steaks, Roman-style pizza, and other Italian dishes. Guests can dine inside, on a patio, or in a private room featuring a functional fireplace.

The Boulevard Food & Drink Hall on the hotel's bottom floor will operate under McClain Camarota Hospitality, the restaurant group of James Beard Award-winning chef Shawn McClain. The food hall will include:

• Tabo Sushi by James Beard Award-winning chef Takashi Yagihashi
• Urbanbelly by renowned chef Bill Kim
• Lucky Goat by celebrity chef Stephanie Izard
• Antique Taco
• Pretty Cool Ice Cream
• Five50 Pizza

Moore confirmed that Tabo Sushi and Urbanbelly will be unique to the Aurora location. They do not appear at the Hollywood Casino in Joliet.

Additional dining options on the casino floor include O Bar, Red Lotus (an Asian restaurant), & Vine (an entertainment bar), and a sports bar with a retail sportsbook.

Hotel rooms start around $500 a night

The complex includes 226 hotel rooms, including high-end suites with living-room areas. Rooms feature art, floor-to-ceiling windows, and integrated technology with full room service. Hotel guests have exclusive access to a fitness center located next to the spa.

Reservations are already available at www.HollywoodCasinoAurora.com. As of last Friday, rooms for the night of June 25 ranged from approximately $500 to $600.

The hotel elevators skip floor four. Moore explained that four is considered an unlucky number in some cultures.

Spa and event center

Drift Spa, the second location of the Pennsylvania-based luxury wellness brand by entrepreneur Stacey Steffes, will feature seven massage rooms and 11 stations for hair, makeup, and nails. The spa is open to the public, not just hotel guests.

A 12,000-square-foot event center at the back of the building will host weddings, corporate events, and live music. The space is modular, with movable walls and a repositionable stage. The center has its own catering team.

Moore, who is an ordained minister in Illinois, said he can perform impromptu "Las Vegas-style" weddings.

Announced shows include:

• X Ambassadors on July 11
• Lit and Sponge on July 17
• The Marshall Tucker Band on August 28
• Ben Bankas on September 6

$50 million city deal and downtown demolition

The City of Aurora is supporting the new casino through an up-front payment of $50 million. The city will be repaid through a tax increment financing district on the property.

Once the new location opens, Penn Entertainment, Hollywood Casino's parent company, has an agreement to demolish the riverboat location in downtown Aurora. This includes the barge, the building, and the walkway over the Fox River. The land will then be turned over to the city.

A city spokesperson confirmed on Friday that Aurora intends to move forward with the demolition and riverfront restoration. The city did not provide additional details about future plans for the downtown site.

The new facility is set to be LEED Certified, incorporating solar panels on the roof, energy-efficient lighting, water-conserving toilets, and integrated sink systems.

Free parking

Moore highlighted one practical advantage for visitors.

And, we have free parking.