Bringing Vegas To Inglewood

By Lindsey Gobel

What happens in Vegas … happens in Inglewood, California. Hollywood Park Casino (HPC), a longtime fixture in Southern California, has recently reopened with a completely new look and feel.

The casino is the first, in a series of new projects, to open as part of Inglewood’s City of Champions Revitalization Project, designed to breathe new life into the city and attract visitors.

The spacious property and state-of-the-art facility has more of a Vegas-vibe than the former location. Upon pulling up to the front door, casino valet are prepared to treat you like royalty. With expansive ceilings and glass chandeliers, guests will walk in experiencing a feeling of luxury. HPC’s General Manager, Deven Kumar, brought his Las Vegas background to the project, which includes the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, among others. He’s helped to completely revamp the historic casino, once owned by the likes of The Warner Bros., Walt Disney and Bing Crosby, and is determined to make every gamer feel like a high roller.

“We’ve gotten great feedback from our customers, since the grand re-opening,” Kumar said. “Business is up 30 percent already. Our audience that left us in the past is coming back, and we are attracting a new crowd, as well. Our focus is on our guests and making them feel comfortable, while having fun.”

After walking through the capacious new entrance, guests have many choices for food, entertainment and gaming, including the casino’s new restaurant, Century Bar & Grill, where sports fans can take in a football or basketball game on the big screens and enjoy fresh American fare and craft beers. If guests want more of a club-like atmosphere, where they can dance to the latest music, spend time hanging out in the chic Raise Lounge, the new semi-private bar, featuring celebrity DJs, like most recently seen spinning, singer-songwriter Ryan Cabrera. The Lounge offers 85 plush seats to sip on cocktails, including the signature Hollywood Park Julep.

The new, 30-percent-larger space also holds 30 more gaming tables. Now HPC has 120 poker and California tables, three beautiful bars, as well as Peet’s Coffee & Tea, the brand’s first location in Inglewood. Those aren’t the only things that are bigger, though. The 10.6-acre property offers a 20 percent increase in high-limits with a second wing, called the Golden Dragon for high-limit California games and an exclusive Poker Top Section designed for the serious poker player. HPC also offers the traditional premium simulcast wagering in the Turf Club, with a capacity of 200 with a bar and multi-use event space. Gamers attracted by the new high limit and top shelf amenities can now get the look and feel of a luxury Las Vegas casino, right in Southern California.

During the casino’s grand opening celebration, they handed out Tiffany & Co. casino branded playing cards, gave away $100,000 cash and offered patrons the opportunity to win $1 million dollars. A host of celebrity appearances and a luxury car giveaway are already set for 2017.

Not everything is new at HPC, however. Kumar brought his entire staff from the former location, while adding a 30 percent increase in jobs for the new facility. An increase in jobs for the area is a big part of the revitalization project, meant to help the evolving California city.

The new 110,000-square-foot facility was designed with safety in mind and includes a well-lit parking facility and security cameras that cover the property. The intention is to make visitors feel safe, while enjoying themselves in beautiful surroundings.

That seems to be the theme for the entire City of Champions Revitalization Project, which includes the new 80,000-seat Los Angeles Rams Stadium, currently under construction and slated for completion in the fall of 2019.

The revitalization project was created to make Inglewood the sports and entertainment capital of Southern California it once was, when it hosted teams like the Kings and the Lakers, and when HPC was a racetrack.

The entire 298-acre plan, when completed, will boast 890,000 square feet of retail, 780,000 square feet of office space, a 300-room hotel, 2,500 new units of residences and around 25 acres of public parks and space, with pedestrian and bicycle access.

The city gets a win-win, with all of the new growth expected to add tens of millions in revenue each year, once the stadium is complete, and those funds are slated to improve city services, enhance public safety, as well as pay for after-school and anti-gang programs.

And all of the new improvements won’t cost the city a dime. No tax dollars or public funding will be used for any of the construction. Rather, the project is expected to be a long-term revenue source for the City of Inglewood, while providing thousands of new jobs and training programs for local residents.

“The additions around us are a tremendous asset for HPC and for the City of Inglewood,” Kumar said. “We will be surrounded by a ton of beautiful, new retail, commercial and residential properties that will attract visitors from all over.”

And HPC plans to continue growing with its new neighbors. Kumar shared plans to add another 75 gaming tables within the next two years.

The vibrant, new gaming destination will still host favorite player perks, like no collection Blackjack and Baccarat, as well as daily no-limit Texas hold’em tournaments. And, with it being just minutes from LAX Airport, HPC is sure to attract players from far and wide. ♠