PENN Entertainment Opens Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 24 2026
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Grand Opening: PENN Entertainment has invested $360 million to open the Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora in Illinois, replacing a riverboat property that operated since 1993, marking a significant expansion in the region.
- Facility Highlights: The new casino features over 1,000 of the latest slot machines and more than 50 table games, including a baccarat room and a retail sportsbook, promising an exceptional guest experience that is expected to attract a large number of visitors.
- Community Engagement: The opening ceremony will include Illinois Gaming Board officials, local dignitaries, and state legislators, reflecting the company's strong ties to the local community and enhancing its brand image.
- Customer Rewards Program: Hollywood Casino Aurora is part of the PENN Play customer rewards program alongside nearby Hollywood Casino Joliet and Ameristar East Chicago, aimed at boosting customer loyalty and market competitiveness.
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Analyst Views on PENN
Wall Street analysts forecast PENN stock price to fall
15 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
5 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 21.490
Low
14.15
Averages
19.38
High
26.00
Current: 21.490
Low
14.15
Averages
19.38
High
26.00
About PENN
PENN Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates in 28 jurisdictions throughout North America, with a portfolio of casinos, racetracks, and online sports betting (OSB) and iCasino offerings. Its focus is on organic cross-selling opportunities, reinforced by its retail casinos, sports media assets and technology, including a proprietary fully integrated digital sports betting and iCasino platform, and an in-house iCasino content studio. Its Northeast segment includes Ameristar East Chicago, Hollywood Casino at Greektown, and Hollywood Casino Bangor. Its South segment includes 1st Jackpot Casino, Ameristar Vicksburg, Boomtown New Orleans, and L’Auberge Baton Rouge. Its West Segment includes Ameristar Black Hawk, Cactus Petes and Horseshu, M Resort Spa Casino and Zia Park Casino. Its Midwest Segment includes Ameristar Council Bluffs, Hollywood Casino Aurora, and River City Casino. Its Interactive segment includes OSB, online casino/iCasino, and social gaming operations.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Penn Entertainment Stock Soars 48.3% with Optimistic Outlook
- Strong Regional Casinos: While the recovery of Las Vegas remains uncertain, regional casinos are thriving despite high inflation and gas prices, with Penn Entertainment's new hotel tower and casino projects in Ohio and Illinois enhancing its competitive edge, likely driving performance growth in the second half.
- Improving Interactive Business: After missteps in sports betting, Penn is pivoting to internet casinos, with digital losses projected to shrink from $268 million in 2025 to $20 million this year, indicating a successful strategy in digital gaming that could positively impact stock prices.
- Industry Consolidation Trends: With Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International as acquisition targets, Penn stands to benefit from increased market valuation, while potential asset acquisitions could further solidify its market position, enhancing investor confidence.
- Potential for Continued Stock Gains: Considering the robust performance of regional markets, improvements in the interactive business, and opportunities arising from industry consolidation, Penn Entertainment's stock is poised for further gains in the second half, attracting increased investor interest.
See More
Penn Entertainment Stock Soars 48.3% Amid Industry Consolidation
- Strong Stock Performance: Penn Entertainment's stock has surged 48.3% over the past six months, making it one of the best-performing casino stocks this year, reflecting the robustness of its core regional casino business and market appeal.
- Regional Market Expansion: The opening of a new hotel tower at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio, and the debut of the Hollywood Casino and Hotel in Aurora, Illinois, signifies strategic positioning in the second-largest U.S. gaming market, expected to enhance customer experience and market share.
- Digital Business Improvement: While Penn's interactive unit reported a $268 million loss in 2025, this is projected to shrink to $20 million in 2026, indicating that the company's strategic pivot in digital gaming is yielding positive results, potentially driving stock gains.
- Industry Consolidation Opportunities: With Caesars and MGM being acquisition targets, Penn Entertainment stands to benefit, particularly through potential asset acquisitions, which could further solidify its market position and enhance valuation.
See More
PENN Entertainment Schedules Q2 2026 Financial Results Release
- Earnings Release Schedule: PENN Entertainment will release its Q2 2026 financial results on August 6, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. ET, followed by a conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET, demonstrating the company's commitment to transparency.
- Participation Details: Interested parties can join the call by dialing 833-309-3473 (conference ID: PENN) and are advised to call five minutes early to ensure connection, highlighting the company's focus on investor communication.
- Technical Requirements: Participants must access the website 15 minutes in advance to register, download, and install necessary software, reflecting the company's preparedness and attention to user experience.
- Customer Loyalty Program: PENN's PENN Play™ loyalty program boasts approximately 34 million members, offering unique rewards and experiences that enhance the company's market competitiveness and customer retention.
See More
Goldman Sachs Optimistic About Penn Entertainment's Growth Potential
- Positive Market Outlook: Goldman Sachs highlighted that Penn Entertainment offers the most compelling risk/reward in the gaming sector, particularly as its regional business is at an inflection point, which is expected to drive positive earnings revisions.
- Price Target Increase: Truist raised Penn's price target from $20 to $25 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, believing that the newly opened Hollywood Aurora project will yield a 15% return on investment.
- Strong Revenue Expectations: Citizens affirmed its 'Market Outperform' rating on Penn after touring the company's new Illinois casinos, noting that Hollywood Casino Joliet has generated $115 million in gaming revenue since opening, with Aurora expected to deliver similar results over the next 24 months.
- Significant Investment: Penn has invested approximately $850 million in various retail projects, with expectations that these will generate about $120 million in EBITDAR once fully operational, demonstrating the company's strong commitment to business expansion.
See More
Goldman Sachs Initiates Buy Ratings on PENN and RRR
- Coverage Initiation: Goldman Sachs has initiated Buy ratings on PENN Entertainment and Red Rock Resorts, with analyst Lizzie Dove highlighting PENN's compelling risk/reward profile in the gaming sector, particularly as its regional business is at an inflection point driven by new projects and improvements in its Interactive segment.
- Cash Flow Expectations: Goldman Sachs anticipates that PENN will deliver free cash flow exceeding $4 per share by 2028, a projection that not only reflects the company's strong financial performance but also indicates its significant position in the recovering regional gaming market, likely attracting more investor interest.
- Industry Recovery Signals: Goldman Sachs believes the regional gaming sector is experiencing a resurgence, with M&A activity providing a valuation floor and earnings revisions offering investors the potential for share price appreciation, a trend that is crucial for the future performance of both PENN and RRR.
- Red Rock Resorts Outlook: The bullish outlook on Red Rock Resorts from Goldman Sachs is based on its compelling earnings story for 2027, as the company is at an inflection point, overcoming disruption headwinds from 2026 and reaping the benefits from growth investments in its five latest projects.
See More
Goldman Sachs Bullish on Penn Entertainment Stock Outlook
- New Projects Drive Growth: Penn Entertainment is launching new projects amid a revival in the regional gaming sector, attracting investor interest, with Goldman Sachs initiating coverage with a buy rating and a $26 price target, implying a 23% upside from Thursday's close.
- Optimistic Cash Flow Outlook: Analyst Lizzie Dove noted that Penn is on track to achieve recurring free cash flow of over $4 per share by 2028, showcasing the company's strong potential amid new projects and a turnaround in its interactive business, enhancing its investment appeal.
- Strong Market Performance: Penn's stock has risen 43% year-to-date, reflecting increased capital inflow into the regional gaming market, while commercial gaming revenue grew 7.2% in Q3 last year, outpacing the U.S. GDP growth of 3.9%, indicating robust industry recovery.
- Analyst Consensus Support: Among the 21 analysts covering Penn, 12 have assigned buy or strong buy ratings, indicating widespread market optimism for the stock, further validating Goldman Sachs' bullish outlook.
See More
Penn Entertainment Stock Soars 48.3% with Optimistic Outlook
- Strong Regional Casinos: While the recovery of Las Vegas remains uncertain, regional casinos are thriving despite high inflation and gas prices, with Penn Entertainment's new hotel tower and casino projects in Ohio and Illinois enhancing its competitive edge, likely driving performance growth in the second half.
- Improving Interactive Business: After missteps in sports betting, Penn is pivoting to internet casinos, with digital losses projected to shrink from $268 million in 2025 to $20 million this year, indicating a successful strategy in digital gaming that could positively impact stock prices.
- Industry Consolidation Trends: With Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International as acquisition targets, Penn stands to benefit from increased market valuation, while potential asset acquisitions could further solidify its market position, enhancing investor confidence.
- Potential for Continued Stock Gains: Considering the robust performance of regional markets, improvements in the interactive business, and opportunities arising from industry consolidation, Penn Entertainment's stock is poised for further gains in the second half, attracting increased investor interest.
See More
Penn Entertainment Stock Soars 48.3% Amid Industry Consolidation
- Strong Stock Performance: Penn Entertainment's stock has surged 48.3% over the past six months, making it one of the best-performing casino stocks this year, reflecting the robustness of its core regional casino business and market appeal.
- Regional Market Expansion: The opening of a new hotel tower at the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio, and the debut of the Hollywood Casino and Hotel in Aurora, Illinois, signifies strategic positioning in the second-largest U.S. gaming market, expected to enhance customer experience and market share.
- Digital Business Improvement: While Penn's interactive unit reported a $268 million loss in 2025, this is projected to shrink to $20 million in 2026, indicating that the company's strategic pivot in digital gaming is yielding positive results, potentially driving stock gains.
- Industry Consolidation Opportunities: With Caesars and MGM being acquisition targets, Penn Entertainment stands to benefit, particularly through potential asset acquisitions, which could further solidify its market position and enhance valuation.
See More
PENN Entertainment Schedules Q2 2026 Financial Results Release
- Earnings Release Schedule: PENN Entertainment will release its Q2 2026 financial results on August 6, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. ET, followed by a conference call and webcast at 9:00 a.m. ET, demonstrating the company's commitment to transparency.
- Participation Details: Interested parties can join the call by dialing 833-309-3473 (conference ID: PENN) and are advised to call five minutes early to ensure connection, highlighting the company's focus on investor communication.
- Technical Requirements: Participants must access the website 15 minutes in advance to register, download, and install necessary software, reflecting the company's preparedness and attention to user experience.
- Customer Loyalty Program: PENN's PENN Play™ loyalty program boasts approximately 34 million members, offering unique rewards and experiences that enhance the company's market competitiveness and customer retention.
See More
Goldman Sachs Optimistic About Penn Entertainment's Growth Potential
- Positive Market Outlook: Goldman Sachs highlighted that Penn Entertainment offers the most compelling risk/reward in the gaming sector, particularly as its regional business is at an inflection point, which is expected to drive positive earnings revisions.
- Price Target Increase: Truist raised Penn's price target from $20 to $25 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, believing that the newly opened Hollywood Aurora project will yield a 15% return on investment.
- Strong Revenue Expectations: Citizens affirmed its 'Market Outperform' rating on Penn after touring the company's new Illinois casinos, noting that Hollywood Casino Joliet has generated $115 million in gaming revenue since opening, with Aurora expected to deliver similar results over the next 24 months.
- Significant Investment: Penn has invested approximately $850 million in various retail projects, with expectations that these will generate about $120 million in EBITDAR once fully operational, demonstrating the company's strong commitment to business expansion.
See More
Goldman Sachs Initiates Buy Ratings on PENN and RRR
- Coverage Initiation: Goldman Sachs has initiated Buy ratings on PENN Entertainment and Red Rock Resorts, with analyst Lizzie Dove highlighting PENN's compelling risk/reward profile in the gaming sector, particularly as its regional business is at an inflection point driven by new projects and improvements in its Interactive segment.
- Cash Flow Expectations: Goldman Sachs anticipates that PENN will deliver free cash flow exceeding $4 per share by 2028, a projection that not only reflects the company's strong financial performance but also indicates its significant position in the recovering regional gaming market, likely attracting more investor interest.
- Industry Recovery Signals: Goldman Sachs believes the regional gaming sector is experiencing a resurgence, with M&A activity providing a valuation floor and earnings revisions offering investors the potential for share price appreciation, a trend that is crucial for the future performance of both PENN and RRR.
- Red Rock Resorts Outlook: The bullish outlook on Red Rock Resorts from Goldman Sachs is based on its compelling earnings story for 2027, as the company is at an inflection point, overcoming disruption headwinds from 2026 and reaping the benefits from growth investments in its five latest projects.
See More
Goldman Sachs Bullish on Penn Entertainment Stock Outlook
- New Projects Drive Growth: Penn Entertainment is launching new projects amid a revival in the regional gaming sector, attracting investor interest, with Goldman Sachs initiating coverage with a buy rating and a $26 price target, implying a 23% upside from Thursday's close.
- Optimistic Cash Flow Outlook: Analyst Lizzie Dove noted that Penn is on track to achieve recurring free cash flow of over $4 per share by 2028, showcasing the company's strong potential amid new projects and a turnaround in its interactive business, enhancing its investment appeal.
- Strong Market Performance: Penn's stock has risen 43% year-to-date, reflecting increased capital inflow into the regional gaming market, while commercial gaming revenue grew 7.2% in Q3 last year, outpacing the U.S. GDP growth of 3.9%, indicating robust industry recovery.
- Analyst Consensus Support: Among the 21 analysts covering Penn, 12 have assigned buy or strong buy ratings, indicating widespread market optimism for the stock, further validating Goldman Sachs' bullish outlook.
See More
