Meadows Casino changing its name
October 14, 2021
Paul Paterra
Observer-Reporter
The Meadows Casino is getting a new name, and there is quite a bit scheduled in the coming days to celebrate.
On Oct. 15, the name will be officially changed to Hollywood Casino at the Meadows.
Rahul Kaushik, vice president of marketing, said Hollywood Casino is a flagship for Penn National Gaming Inc., which took over the facility in 2019.
“This is more than a name change,” Kaushik explained. “It has been a journey since 2019. This is a key milestone in the transition to our re-branding. Hollywood Casino is the flagship brand of Penn National.”
There also are some new amenities that have been added, such as a sports book to allow for legal betting on sports, the H Lounge, upgrades to the casino floor and a modernization of the layout and machines.
Another transition at the casino, which opened April 15, 2009, is the shift from a food court to The Eatery by Fabio Viviani, which has four different restaurants:
- Mercato – which features Italian cuisine;
- The Classic – which offers a selection of burgers, chicken tenders, grilled cheese sandwiches and food in that category;
- Joe & Dough – offering snacks or sweet treats and also featuring handmade deli sandwiches;
- Zen Noodle – featuring authentic Hong Kong cuisine.
To kick off the celebrations on Oct. 15, there will be a Pink Out and Family Fun Night from 4 to 7 p.m. which will feature live harness racing, puppy races, a silent auction, food trucks and special pink out beverages. There also will be a Hollywood Hot Seat from 5 to 8 p.m. on the casino floor and a Hollywood Card night from 6 to 10 p.m. in the table games pit.
There are Hollywood celebrations planned for Oct. 16 from 2 to 7 p.m. on the outdoor racetrack apron. There will be live local entertainment, food trucks and prize drawing every hour. Once the sun sets – Kaushik estimates about 7:15 p.m. – there will be fireworks.
On the casino floor that night from 5:30-8 p.m., there will be a giveaway that will include $100,000 worth of prizes, including the grand prize, a Mercedes-Benz car.
Other giveaways and promotions are scheduled for the remainder of the month.
“We put a lot of promotions behind it,” Kaushik said of the new name. “We want to celebrate with people. We want to recognize people that got us to this place. I’m really excited. I’m hoping people will like (the promotions).”
However, the name of the racetrack, which opened in 1963, will remain the same.
“The history and tradition of this being The Meadows will continue on,” Kaushik said. “It’s part of our DNA. It’s part of our core. That was very important.”
Kaushik said the name change of the casino also is important.
“Penn National is putting its flagship on this property,” he said. “This proves we are here to stay.”