'The proposal from Penn represents one of the most significant developments in the history of Aurora,' Muhammed said. The plan calls for the city to give over the land, which used to host two hotels the city purchased for around $7 million in 2018 and later razed, and pay for up to $50 million of the project by issuing new bonds.
Penn is planning a similar shift with Hollywood Casino Joliet, in which its riverside casino outside the suburb would be closed and a new facility built within the new Rock Run Crossings development by the interchange of interstates 80 and 55.Īurora city spokesman Clayton Muhammed said the plan calls for the new casino complex to be built on city-owned land near Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road next to Chicago Premium Outlets. The location would also have new bars, restaurants and a spa, according to the news release from the Pennsylvania-based company that owns 43 casinos and racetracks in the U.S. 'Our plan for Aurora is to construct a modern, best-in-class casino and hotel in an ideal location off I-88 that will allow us to serve the millions of visitors to the adjacent Simon Premium Outlet Mall,' said Jay Snowden, CEO and president of Penn Entertainment, referring to the Chicago Premium Outlets mall.
But the new casino complex would also have a 200-room hotel with about 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
