Gaming
May 2022
Southland Casino Hotel expansion creates top
Mid-South gaming destination
Delaware North’s Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis, Ark., in December 2022 celebrated the completion of a three-year, $320 million expansion.
The casino now includes a new 300-room, 20-story hotel with 12 penthouse suites, and a 113,000-square-foot gaming floor that features 2,400 slot machines, 50 live table games and eight new bars and restaurants. The three-year project completes the transformation of the one-time racetrack into a full-fledged Las Vegas-style casino destination with a luxury hotel.
“The Southland expansion is the culmination of a legacy project for Delaware North,” Delaware North CEO Lou Jacobs said. “It puts Southland on the map as a true casino destination that will draw patrons from both near and far.”
july 2021
Delaware North helps guide opening and expansion of Catawba Two Kings Casino
Serving as a key consultant, including on government affairs, Delaware North has guided the Catawba Nation in opening, operating and expanding its Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, N.C.
The casino opened in July 2021 with 500 gaming machines and quickly expanded to 1,000 gaming machines, including several electronic table games, in December 2021. In September 2022, the casino added an onsite sportsbook, one of only three in North Carolina.
“They’re a wonderful client to work with – and we’ve demonstrated our commitment to them as another in a long line of strong partnerships that Delaware North has formed across its business lines for decades,” said Jack McNeill, chief corporate affairs officer.
September 2022
New Hampshire casino acquisition leveraged with gaming machine addition
Delaware North in October 2022 purchased Boston Billiard Club & Casino, a charitable gaming casino in Nashua, N.H., and quickly added more than 150 historical horse racing (HHR) gaming machines to complement its table games and poker tables.
“The addition of gaming machines will attract more people from the region to visit Boston Billiard Club & Casino, increasing the benefit for charitable organizations,” said Brian Hansberry, president of Delaware North’s gaming business.
Delaware North also acquired a nearby hotel, the 330-room Sheraton Nashua, and in 2023 plans to expand the casino by adding 350 more HHR gaming machines in adjacent space.
july 2021
Gamewise joint venture provides online/mobile sports betting
Delaware North in July 2021 announced a joint venture with leading Belgian gaming and sports betting partner GAMING1.
Since the launch, the joint venture, Gamewise, has used GAMING1’s proprietary sports betting and casino platform and product technologies to operate Delaware North’s online/mobile sports betting businesses in Arkansas and Tennessee under the proprietary Betly brand. In addition, Gamewise is operating MVGBet in Ohio for Miami Valley Gaming, Delaware North’s jointly owned gaming venue in Ohio, and is transitioning to operate Betly in West Virginia.
Gamewise is also working to deliver turnkey digital gaming solutions to other licensed operators in North America that seek to enter the burgeoning online sports betting and gaming space.
october 2021
Jeremy Jacobs inducted into American Gaming Association Hall of Fame
Jeremy M. Jacobs, the longtime chairman of Delaware North, in October 2021 was inducted into the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Gaming Hall of Fame, which recognizes leaders who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to the gaming industry.
The AGA called Mr. Jacobs “a pioneer of gaming and hospitality” who built coalitions of competitors who shared the same goals, helping create today’s thriving gaming industry.
“He led a transformation of Delaware North into a global company with roots in gaming, hospitality and entertainment,” the AGA noted. “Whether casino gaming in its early days or sports betting today, Jacobs helps stakeholders understand the benefits of the industry to the economy and communities.”
july 2022
Miami Valley Gaming expands gaming patio, adds new restaurants and sportsbook
Miami Valley Gaming, the gaming and racing venue in Ohio that Delaware North owns and operates in a joint venture, has made several additions to further enhance it as a leading entertainment destination in the Cincinnati-Dayton region.
In July 2022, Miami Valley Gaming opened an expanded gaming patio – 10,000 square feet to replace the former 2,500-square-foot patio – that features 200 gaming machines and a bar. Two new restaurants were also added to replace a buffet – Lucia’s for a variety of Italian dishes and Route 63 for comfort food classics.
In January 2023, Miami Valley Gaming opened a sportsbook in the simulcast area so patrons can bet on sports and racing.
