PENN Entertainment, Inc., parent company of Ameristar Casino Hotel, plans to relocate its existing Council Bluffs casino operations from its riverboat into a 2-story, 135,000 sq. ft. building to be constructed in Ameristar’s current parking lot, according to City of Council Bluffs planning documents. As part of the project, PENN Entertainment will change the venue’s name to Hollywood Casino.
As the accompanying architect’s rendering shows, the Hollywood Casino building will be accompanied by a 566-stall parking garage. All the existing buildings will be retained, including the Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn hotels. The Ameristar Hotel will be connected via a porte-cochère, which will provide a cover over the drop-off and pick-up areas.
The current riverboat casino will remain in operation during construction. Once Hollywood Casino is operational, PENN will begin the process of decommissioning the Ameristar boat. PENN plans to start construction as soon as it receives final city approval. The project will take 24 months.
