Hollywood Casino revenues jump 11 percent in December

Revenues at Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway jumped 11 percent during December, lottery officials reported today.

December revenues at Hollywood Casino totaled $10,892,150, according to Keith Kocher, director of gaming facilities for the Kansas Lottery. It’s more than $1 million above November’s revenues.

Kocher said Hollywood Casino, in Kansas City, Kan., had several promotions in December, including players’ clubs, drawings and multiplier events.

He also attributed the increase to the food at the casino restaurants and to the work by the managers of the slots and table games at Hollywood Casino, who he said were constantly evaluating the games to offer what patrons want.

He also said the casino, which opened in February 2012, is now building up loyalty in the Kansas City area, which has four other casinos in Greater Kansas City.

“They’ve really done a good job in finding their place in Kansas City, and promotions have helped,” he said.

Missouri side casinos did not do as well in December, according to figures posted on the website of the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Admissions in December were down at the Missouri casinos; and for the last six months of 2012, admission was down 24 percent at Argosy; 12 percent at Harrah’s North Kansas City; eight percent at Isle of Capri Kansas City; and nine percent at Ameristar Kansas City, according to the Missouri Gaming Commission figures.

There also was a total 14.6 percent drop in the adjusted gross revenues for slots at the Missouri side casinos during December, according to the figures online.

Penn National Gaming is one of the parent companies in the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, and it also runs the Argosy Casino in Riverside, Mo.

Bob Sheldon, general manager of the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway, in a written report to the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission stated that December was very strong in table games revenue, which was $2.1 million, an increase of $406,000 or 24.6 percent over November.

Slots revenue at Hollywood was $8.8 million, for an increase of $680,000 or 8.3 percent over November, he stated. There were 170,378 visitors in December compared with 159,027 in November, which had one less day, he wrote in his report.

Besides promotional programs and bonus offers in December, along with holiday decorations, the casino offered a special New Year’s Eve event.

“While New Year’s Eve was busy and successful, our volumes were depressed throughout the day and evening due to the snowstorm which occurred,” Sheldon wrote. “Despite the snow we did proceed with our fireworks show, which was well received by our guests and the public in general.”

The December revenues boosted the total revenue at Hollywood since its February opening to $113,978,404, according to Kansas Lottery figures. The casino has made $25 million for the state of Kansas since it opened, according to the figures.

Revenues also were up around 10 percent in December at the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kan., near the Wichita area, Kocher reported.

Lottery ticket sales also are providing some revenue to the state of Kansas, according to Neysa Thomas, deputy executive director of the lottery. She said the $9.43 million Hot Lotto jackpot won in Kansas City, Kan., on Monday had provided $357,747 in state taxes collected.

The $60 million Powerball win in December in Johnson County, Kan., provided the state with $6.1 million in taxes, she added.

Lottery ticket revenues were up 5.59 percent in 2012 over the previous year, she said. She attributed it to the surge of ticket-buying during the Powerball record jackpot in November.