BANGOR, Maine — In spite of its new competition to the south and a drop in the take from slot machines, Bangor’s Hollywood Casino is poised to surpass its revenue totals from last year, a feat management attributes to new offerings at the facility and marketing aimed at neighbors to the north.
The casino’s 923 slot machines are bringing in less than they did in previous years, with slot revenue dipping below $4 million in November for the first time since December 2008. In November, the slots netted less than $3.8 million.
The slots have brought in $52.6 million so far in 2012, with just December left to go. That’s about $2.5 million less than what the casino brought in by this time last year, according to revenue statistics from the Maine Gaming Control Board.
But Hollywood Casino has a new set of attractions that are closing the gap, according to General Manager John Osborne.
“Table-game revenue has really had some traction …,” Osborne said in a phone interview. “In most months, it replaced the loss of slot revenue.”
The table games, including blackjack, roulette, Lucky Ladies, and several poker variants, have brought in $5.9 million since they opened in March. The addition led the facility to change its name from Hollywood Slots to Hollywood Casino, as well as cut about 80 slot machines from the facility to make room for 16 table games.
“We see table games getting stronger yet in 2013,” Osborne said, explaining that the casino is adding a craps table this month.
Hollywood Casino is training its first crop of craps dealers, and will begin “phasing in” the game, which is among the more complicated at casinos, in the next month, according to Osborne. Most of the craps dealers are current employees taking a course, through Eastern Maine Community College, in craps dealing, he added.
With $58.5 million in net revenue with one month left to go in 2012, the casino, barring a severely dismal December, will surpass its $59.5 million yield from 2011. Osborne said he expects the facility to bring in about $4.5 million this month. If that holds true, it would mean a new revenue record for the casino, which set its high-water mark in 2010 of nearly $61.7 million in 2010.
Meanwhile, the Bangor casino’s new competitor to the south, Oxford Casino, also is pleased with its first six months of results, according to General Manager and Vice President Jack Sours.
“I think the facility has been very well received by the folks that are coming out,” Sours said in a Friday telephone interview, adding that 80 percent of the casino’s visitors are Mainers. “I think we’re very happy with the results we’ve seen here.”
Oxford Casino opened June 5 and since has netted $31.7 million, $26 million of which came from the slot machines. The casino now has 814 slots, up from the 529 it had in its first three months.
After four months of increasing revenues since it opened, the Oxford Casino’s revenue has begun to dip, which is typical as tourism tails off when winter approaches and people drive less, according to Sours. In its best month, September, the casino brought in $5.7 million.
In October, the casino increased its number of table games from 12 to 22.
Sours said the casino’s ownership is interested in building a hotel, a concept that waits near the end of the casino’s five-year plan.
“I think it’s still a work in progress,” Sours said, “and we need to see what the future brings.”
With its new competition from Oxford Casino just a 120-mile drive down I-95, Hollywood Casino has been trying to keep up its patronage by looking to the north.
General Manager John Osborne said the number of visitors coming from southern parts of the state has “slowed down a bit” in recent years, but that more people from Canada and northern Maine are making the trip to Bangor.
In years past, Canadian visitors accounted for 3 percent or 4 percent of casino revenue, according to Osborne; this year, however, they are contributing more than 10 percent.
Osborne credited the increase to advertising efforts in Canada, especially Nova Scotia, and marketing and promotions at the Bangor Mall aimed at Canadian bus tourists on shopping trips in Bangor.
The general manager said he believes the opening of the Cross Insurance Center on the other side of Main Street will draw more patrons and revenue. He also attributed some of the casino’s high yields during the spring and summer to the growth of the Waterfront Concert Series.
Hollywood Casino is owned by Penn National Gaming, which operates 29 gaming and hotel facilities across the country.
Well, they should have a great year… several towns and businesses money were added to the profits…
Professional money suckers, oh ya get free bad coffee, but, over-all anyone is not going to make any money there, you might have a good day, but rarely. The number of people ruined, the rent not paid, this dark side is not seen.
Nice lie the same was said about scratch tickets to
They lowered the prize sizes so low that it is almost impossible to win anything.. Playing at a regular pace a 100 dollar bill will last about 1 hour at most, then you go home.. The State doesn’t care or they actually incourge the taking of peoples money.
Don’t blame the state. Have they forced anyone to put money in a machine or pay a dealer?
The State writes the regulations and have a vested interest in the games. (-;
You did not answer his question were you forced to go there ?
You do realize, I hope, that gambling is a losing proposition to more than 90 percent of those who engage in it, don’t you? The odds are never on the players’ side, and they’re not supposed to be.
Who forced you to go “push”?
Edited.. Why do I go there, The answer is because It’s not filled with drunks and there is nothing else to do in Bangor.
Nope.
I edited my comment to actually answer your question. l
But you could have just added an additional reply.
Here is your original post “push” just so everyone will be on the same page.
“Mr JS they must pay you well.”
LOL!!
Glad you can laugh at yourself.
get a diffrent hobby then
No wonder slot revenue is down they dont pay out . Those machines are so tight they are rediculuos. The progressive jackpots seem to last forever and rarely pay out. More than once I have seen a progressive machine that has been on the floor for many months and people go in and play that machine hoping it will pay out eventually and the casino will pull the machine off the floor before it pays out.This sort of thing doesn’t pass the smell test. This has happened more than once.I rate this casino as probably one of the worst gamblig establishment in the country to gamble in.
i agree with you on this one
I agree, it was fun when they first arrived and were located up in the old buffet place, I think they over-extended where they are , and are extracting much more from the suckers, to keep afloat.
That is not true at all. Don’t run your mouth if you don’t know how the operation works. It’s called random for a reason!
Don’t mislead the public “commonsense38” They may have random number generaters, but they can still be set to pay out smaller prize sizes. Rather than pay out a hundred or 2 here and there where you could leave with your winnings, they pay out 5 and 10 dollars more frequently so that you never win enough to leave with money.. Sort of like the scratch tickets, one millon break even prizes that most likely you will reinvest than take the money out, than a handfull of larger prizes.. The State of Maine should be protecting the consumers who play these games, and shouldn’t be a vested partner making the rules of play.
He’s right……..Penn Gaming is raping slots patrons compared to other casinos.
Casinos siphon disposable income from this area and load it in to a Brinks truck headed south. It would be much harder to do if they paid out “winnings” all the time. They are designed to prey on losers, not “winners.” They say you too can be a “star” at Hollywood Casino. The reality is that you are far more likely to have a “supporting” role! lol.
The good thing about the whole scenerio is, if someone does not want to play or think that it is not fair gaming they can just choose to stay home and keep their “disposable income” in their pocket.
Yes, it is the same with the lottery. It is basically taxation for people who flunked math. Who are we to begrudge anyone the right to pay more taxes, if they should so choose?
How would one know for sure if the progressive machine paid out before it was removed from the floor unless they spent 24 hrs / day seven days/ week at the casino?
Thank you for your comments – they clearly illustrate the incorrect thinking that make slot machines work so effectively for casinos. Your suggestion that the longer someone plays on a machine, the more likely it should be to pay out ‘soon’ is totally incorrect. Chance is exactly that – chance. Each time you put a coin into a slot machine, you have exactly the same odds of winning (losing actually) that you did the last time. It doesn’t matter if you’ve put in one coin, or already put in a thousand. Your odds are exactly the same.
The casinos bank on people believing like you do – that the longer you pump your money into the slots, the better your chance of hitting it big. But that is not how it works. You’ll end up chasing a jackpot based on incorrect logic and going broke (or that’s what the casino hopes). The idea that the machine somehow owes you a payout because of the money you’ve already invested in it is just plain wrong. It doesn’t work that way.
Having been in both places several times, Oxford beats the Hollywood Casino hands down. The slots do pay out in Oxford,In Bangor I never won a nickel playing them. To each his own, but there is no comparison.
Agreed. Look around at the employees and patrons at both places. Oxford has a much better atmosphere…….is much more welcoming. The food, while limited is very good. More promotions too! It’s almost as if Hollywood is daring patrons to travel South to Oxford……..I think that many are!
Whats up with the food buffet, they are cold or out and and way over priced. They cut out the breakfast which was the best deal going. It seems that they have lost their former rest manager to my Fork. Also disturbing is that they have cut out their support to The Lions Club and the 2 for 1 meals to benefit the reading glasses for the poor. Something is going on at Hollywood Casino and we use to go to dine and play a little now we don’t and will go back to Foxwood but not so often.
why don’t you go to Oxford and save yourself hours of drive time and money!
Dollar for dollar……Oxford Casino is a much better gaming experience IMO. The employees are friendlier…….as well as the patrons. And they have a much better (and newer) selection of slots. The one thing that Oxford does need however is a hotel! They will struggle to draw during the dead of winter……..a hotel would help immensely.
As far as Hollywood goes……..let’s hope that Penn Gaming sells the place to another casino company……..one that cares about their cutomers’ gaming experience a bit more.
Nothing they do in the south will ever affect us here in Bangor. We are our own machine. The south will always have to compete with what is around them. Remember that when the south forgets us and what is really going on. Success grows everyday. What is not growing? Answer: The reasons for needing the south for anything these days. (smiling)
Except the fact that the south (Augusta and below) help subsidize the roads you (North of Augusta) drive on, along with many other things. If York, Cumberland and Sagadahoc counties have half of the economy in Maine; put in Androscoggin and the southern parts of Kennebec, Franklin Lincoln and Oxford that is probably at the very least 75% of Maine’s economy. Guess what that percentage does, pay taxes to Maine’s economy and helps subsidize those in the northern part. So whatever happens in the southern part of Maine does in fact affect you guys in Bangor. Just Sayin’
All roads lead to Bangor… Remember that saying? Can you imagine? Love the 75% remark. Great stuff. Just sayin’
the slots sound like so much fun, push the button…loser…push the button…loser…push the button…loser…push the button…loser…push the button…loser…
As opposed to…….
Ski down hill……get back on chairlift……..ski down hill…….get back on chairlift?
Sit in woods for hours…….pull trigger…….reload……..sit in woods for hours……pull trigger……..reload?
Put worm on hook……..wait for bite…….put worm on hook…….wait for bite?
Type on keyboard………gnash teeth………hit enter……..type on keyboard……..gnash teeth………hit enter?
I take it that you enjoy the slots.
I enjoy many forms of entertainment.
Is this a comparison to people who travel and spend more money, fuel, hotel stays to go to a cross-borders casino because they seem to win more? How about those thousands that trek and spend big money to watch racing cars drive around a oval-shaped track (and around, and around) in Nascar or who spend thousands in large boats and high tech equipment to catch a fish? The millions who spend like crazy on their favorite sports teams to watch super-rich athletes bounce or hit or kick… a ball? It’s entertainment, my friend. You don’t win everytime. And you don’t lose everytime.
so you did understand it.
wont be long i haven’t heard one good thing about Hollywood slots you will see if fall and take the new venue with it you can only take embezzlers money for so long and one can only lose so often before they go broke. Losing proposition no matter how you look at it this article is bull ca-ca
Shleprock?
when you read into the numbers it is obvious Oxford has taken a very big toll on the slot wagers at Hollywood. They are off close to 30% in some months according the gambling board web site since Oxford has opened. The slot revenue is where Bangor gets thier income to support the civic center and they have to be very concerened.
The bigger issue is of course can Maine handle more casinos. Mass is going to have four. Nh will have 2. Maine cannot handle any more casinos it is as simple as that.
When you look at that web site and the report you have to look at both pages of the report. There is one for the slots and one for the table games.
yes i know…what is your point?
Well first off you are only telling half of the story to “prove” your point.
Second Hollywood Casino cut the number of slot machine in order to obtain their table game license.
Third when you take the slot machine earnings and add the table game earnings they are up over last year.
Fourth Hollywood Casino is doing very well in an economy with very strong headwinds.
Lastly the Casino pays through the state of Maine to Bangor a percentage on revenue. I do not believe it is limited to the slot machine take but all gambling revenue.
That was my point but I was, in the previous post attempting to be nice.
You don’t have to be nice but you should have an
understanding of what you are talking about.
First in addition that that the state takes from HC for the
city of Bangor. HC also has an addition agreement with Bangor that they will take 3% of slot revenues to support the debt of the Civic Center. These are only on slots not tables. It is for that reason the city should be very concerned about the steady downward trend in slot wagers.
Second….last year 2011 in November HC did about 53mil in
slot wagers, this year they did about 38mil for the month of November. That was about a 28% drop in wagers but revenues on slots only dropped by 18% why????…simple answer as the wagers on slots have dropped HC continues to tighten the slot machines to make up the difference but they cannot make up the entire difference as they must payback a minimum of 89% to the customers and you can bet they have no more room to tighten. Customers are already complaining about how tight the slots are.
Third…Yes HC has reduced the slot machines they have but
last year November of 2011 for example with 1000 machines they had a $152 win per day per slot machine, this year with fewer machines they had a $136 win per day.
Forth…watch the numbers from January to June of this year
coming up. HC will never be able to duplicate the revenue from the previous year even with table games.
Finally had HC not been able to tighten up on the slot
machines payback they would be behind last year even with table game revenue.
The point of this is Maine gaming markets are extremely
fragile and with the rest of New England poised to expand casinos at an alarming rate the Maine legislature and our citizens should be extremely careful about authorizing more casinos in Maine…it is a house of cards.
Your right people should have a understanding of what they are talking about and you if had attended any of the Bangor Chamber events leading up to te vote for the arena you would have known that decreases in revenue were discussed at length
There are two revenue streams to pay for the arena. The first one being Hollywood Casino. The second is the downtown TIF.
The tiff is not responsible for subordinating the debt…..the slot tax is.
The TIF can be used for many things within the TIF district. It can be used for infrastructure (which the new arena clearly is), it can be used to build new paths along the river, etc….
What it cannot be used for is anything outside the TIF district. For example: it could not be used to add a bike path out by the mall as that is not within the district.
I am sure the city is well aware of what the TiF district funds can and cannot be used for. I am also sure that they would not have brought up the TIF as one means of paying for the arena if they couldn’t do it.
Regardless, the arena is a much needed improvement over the 1950 relic and will bring much auth needed economic boost to the area once it is completed.
You miss my point..I am not questioning the reasons for the Civic Center as i think it is great for the area. I am questioning the flag waving about the artificial results of Hollywood Casino. Remeber the Bangor fiscal office projected a 1.5% increase in slot revenues from Hollywood Casino for the next 30 years year over year. That is going to be an impossible feat. If they cannot maintian that level of increases, then they will have a shortfall in ability to payback the debt and will have to look for the money elsewhere and guess who they will look to….the citizens of Bangor either in property tax inceases or some other income source.
I wonder if you attended and if the Chamber meetings where potential decreased in revenue from Hollywood Casino was discussed?
The city made its presentation including revenue projections. People questioned those projections and the city specifically stated that the second revenue stream that could be used was the TIF.
The sky is not falling.
Maine should only have 2 Wal-marts then
Many people like yourself try to compare Casino’s to other
for profit businesses like a Wal-Mart and suggest they should compete like all the rest. You theory might actually work if casinos were treated like other forprofit business but they are not. A typical for profit business is taxed on netprofits but a casino is not only taxed on net profit but gross revenues as well. It is the only business in America
that falls under this double taxation standard. In Maine it is 46% of gross revenues one of the highest in the nation. It is for this reason casino marketsare protected. Maine with its 2 casinos is about all our state can handle, add in the 4 casinos coming to Mass and 2 more to NH and the cannibalization of the limited source of gaming customers will put the Maine casinos at risk. Lets protect the ones we have before we consider more expansion or tax them just on net profits like everyone else and put them everywhere if that’s what you want.
Maine casinos are NOT at risk……..because unlike many other casinos……..Hollywood and Oxford were not over-built for their mostly local markets. These aren’t multi-billion investments…….they are $100 million investments.
Yes, it can……..but they have to be built WITH AMENITIES………not just a snack bar and lousy buffet. Cripes……..they didn’t even put a pool with their hotel. Here are some ideas, Penn:
Pool in hotel
Night Club (separate from casino floor!!!!)
Microbrewery/pub
Steak House/Full Service restaurant!!!
Better Promotions (what better way to stop the bleeding to Oxford?……duh!!!)
I’m with you on all those improvements Joe. Hopefully in time they’ll happen.
Ah, all the usual suspects who hate everything poo-pooing Hollywood Casino. You know, the one that supplied the money for the brand new arena and convention center. I have a great time everytime I go to the casino. The buffet is GOOD! Cerianly better than the ones I’ve had in Vegas. The rooms are spacious and reasonable. Some of these numb skulls would complain that they’d have to pay taxes if you gave them a million dollars.
I suspect these posters actually WANT the place to fail so they can say “I told you so”. Not gonna happen. Way to go Hollywood Casino!
The Slots Parlor give a precentage to the host community, It is a revenue stream for the city. so in essence the taxpers are paying for the arena instead of having their taxes lowered using that revenue stream. Hollywood slots would not be giving the City the precentage if they weren’t forced to by law. So don’t make them out to be angels.
Without Hollywood Casino and the revenue stream there would be no new arena and your property taxes would be likely much higher as they also pay property taxes into a TIF that has helped finance much of the infrastructure improvements in the downtown and along the waterfront.
Semantics Red. The city’s percentage is to be used to pay for the arena. If it wasn’t, you’d have no new arena and the $ would be pee’d away on other bs.
Steve…….I agree that there are some people that want it to fail, but as a gaming patron that has been to both Hollywood and Oxford……..Penn has A LOT of room for improvement! Their hotel is definitely a strength……nice, clean rooms too. The casino on the other hand………they really seem to just take advantage of their monopoly…….bad food, bad customer service, and bad (and tight!) selection of slots. I’ve been to many casinos and this is one of the worst! To recap: nice hotel and convenient location…….everything else: thumbs down.
Once the newness of Oxford wears off I would expect their slots to “tighten up” too. I’m not a huge gambler or anything, but I was serious about always having fun at HC. Usually I am going to a concert and staying at the hotel. I always gamble a little and if I lose I think of it as part of the cost for the trip. I’m also happy to make my “donation” towards the arena. I would MUCH rather hangout in a city atmosphere and enjoy that environment than drive out into the sticks of Oxford.
I want HC to succeed…….I really do. But I also want them to “work” to be the best and to treat their customers like customers. If (more like “when”) Oxford gets a hotel……..it will be another hit to HC revenue. To combat that………Penn needs to INVEST money into their facility………pool and spa for their hotel, a sit down restaurant (steak house!), a full scale nightclub, a microbrewery pub, an expanded gaming area, MORE PROMOTIONS! No doubt that it is a more convenient location………but it is only closer to those that live in Waterville and North and East of there. That’s a pretty small market compared to So. Maine and NH.
Great stuff as always, Steve.