PENN Entertainment will break ground on September 14, 2026 on a new Hollywood Casino Hotel Council Bluffs worth up to US$200 million in Iowa, while Michigan has just renewed the licences of MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown, in a week marked by physical expansion and regulatory continuity across the U.S. regional casino market.
The Council Bluffs project will replace the current Ameristar Casino Hotel, whose gaming floor operates on a riverboat, with a land-based facility spanning approximately 125,000 square feet, including around 58,000 square feet of gaming space. The configuration calls for approximately 1,000 slot machines and 25 live gaming tables on a single level, compared with the 628 slots and 16 tables reported by the property in April 2026.
PENN, led by Jay Snowden, will invest between US$180 million and US$200 million. Construction is expected to take 18 to 24 months, generate approximately 450 temporary construction jobs and add around 50 permanent positions at a property that already employs more than 500 people.
The complex will connect directly to the existing hotel with more than 160 rooms and will add the Omaha area’s first Shake Shack and the Asian concept Red Lotus, alongside 1853 Bistro and Steakhouse, The Sportsbook Restaurant and Bar, Club 38 VIP Lounge and a buffet.
Amy Burkhart
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, chaired by Amy Burkhart and administered by Tina Eick, approved the move to land-based gaming in April 2025 and extended the agreement with the Iowa West Racing Association through 2041. PENN also holds an option with Gaming and Leisure Properties to finance up to US$150 million of the project.
Jim Townsend
In Michigan, the Michigan Gaming Control Board, chaired by Jim Townsend and led operationally by Executive Director Henry Williams, renewed the annual licences of Detroit’s three commercial casinos on September 8.
In 2025, MGM Grand Detroit generated US$605.3 million, MotorCity Casino US$376.1 million and Hollywood Casino at Greektown US$283.9 million, for a combined US$1.265 billion in slot and table-game revenue.
Detroit applies a total tax burden of 19% on AGR, with 8.1% going to Michigan and 10.9% to the city, in addition to regulatory payments and development agreements. Hollywood Greektown, also operated by PENN, will undergo licence renewal again alongside MGM and MotorCity in September 2027.
