The grandstand gaming area at Delaware Park has sometimes been called “the bus station” for a look that reminds one of the temporary sites set up in U.S. cities before the construction of glittering new gaming arenas.
It’s a legacy of the Rickman family, the former owners of the casino track.
Delaware Park was a money-making machine when the General Assembly first green-lighted casinos at the state’s three horse tracks, minus the upfront payments demanded by other states.
During those heady times, the Rickmans purchased a hotel in a swampy area off I-95 that had run afoul of New Castle County building codes and is now a center for the homeless. The family also snapped up a one-time county government engineering building. Profits were not plowed into a standalone casino or adjacent hotel. The Rickman family still owns a golf course and restaurant on the scenic property.
The new owners of the historic venue want to change that dingy perception from non-patrons and quietly announced a $10 million overhaul last month. The project is slated for completion this summer.
A release states that the redo will fully transform the main casino floor, adding a new high-end midi-baccarat and blackjack pit, more pod-style slot machines, food and beverage offerings, and other amenities.
The space will also feature custom chandeliers, lighting fixtures, gaming furniture, custom carpeting, vaulted ceilings, and wall murals. Also coming is a long overdue noodle bar concept, Foo Noodle at the high-limit table games area.
“The renovation will usher a new look and future for Delaware Park Casino & Racing, bringing notes of Las Vegas and Atlantic City to Delaware,” stated Terry Glebocki, president & general manager of Delaware Park Casino & Racing. “Our goal is to make the property more modern and comfortable for our existing guests as well as to attract new audiences, making our casino a premier destination in the region.”
Glebocki, an accountant by background, came out of retirement after the stunning turnaround of The Ocean casino resort in Atlantic City. The former Revel was on its last legs when she led the effort to save the private-equity-funded billion-dollar property.
AC casinos still face formidable challenges, with Dover casino owner Bally’s earlier warning investors that its AC boardwalk resort was progressing but faced a challenging market.
Delaware Park has a comfortable niche as a “locals” casino and, unlike Bally’s casino down the road in Dover does not face the task of filling rooms in a big hotel aimed at a destination gaming market that went poof when casinos popped up around the region.
Some casino-goers may be disappointed that the new Canadian and gaming veteran owners of Delaware Park did not construct a new casino building. But the realities of the business these days dictate a more modest makeover.
For example, the rival Hollywood Casino off i-95 in Perryville, MD, is now next door to the quarter of a billion-dollar Great Wolf family resort. Mommy or daddy will likely sneak away to hit the slots or tables for an hour or two.
Delaware Park’s long-term challenge is keeping the locals happy and attracting more crowds to its thoroughbred track.
That’s a big hill to climb, but nothing compared to Glebocki’s challenges in Atlantic City. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.
