“Penn National is excited to re-enter the strong Maryland gaming market and to once again operate Hollywood Casino Perryville, a property we developed in 2010. Today’s acquisition of the operations of Hollywood Casino Perryville adds a twentieth gaming jurisdiction to our leading nationwide footprint,” said Jay Snowden, President and CEO of Penn National.
The company announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of the operations of Hollywood Casino Perryville in Maryland. In December 2020, Penn National entered into a definitive agreement with Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. (GLPI) to acquire the operations of Hollywood Casino Perryville for US$31.1 million in cash.
Penn National has named Brazilian Allie Evangelista as General Manager of Hollywood Casino Perryville. Ms. Evangelista most recently served as General Manager at Penn National’s Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course in Ohio. Matt Heiskell, current General Manager of Hollywood Casino Perryville, will now oversee operations at the Company’s Hollywood Casino Tunica and 1st Jackpot Casino in Mississippi.
“I'm 'gaúcha' from Caxias do Sul, RS. I first came to the USA to complete a college internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando where I met my husband, Fabio Evangelista. After I graduated college with a bachelors degree in Tourism, I moved to Orlando where we lived for six years. I started my career as a hotel housekeeper on International Drive. I went back to school and got two masters degrees. I was transferred from one state to another several times to continue to learn and advance my career,” told Evangelista to GMB.
During her years in hospitality, she made many friends and received an invitation to work in a casino in Missouri from a former manager she worked for in Orlando. After accepting the offer, Allie moved to Saint Louis MO in 2006 where she stayed for nine years and learned all about the gaming industry, first in slots and later in table games. Later on, Evangelista moved to Council Bluffs in Iowa as a Director of Casino Operations and Human Resources. After two years, she was transferred to Washington PA and then to Ohio.
As Vice President and General Manager of Hollywood Mahoning Valley in Austintown OH and working for Penn National Gaming, the largest regional gaming company in North America, she was responsible for establishing and maintaining communication of property vision, values, goals and culture. And also had to maintain a culture of regulatory compliance according to gaming regulations in each jurisdiction, in this case the Ohio Lottery Commission.
“I read a great deal about what happens in the USA and in the World including Brazil. I know there are discussions and interest to implement legalized gaming in Brazil just like in many states in the USA and other countries. It's a very profitable industry not only for owners, operators but also for governamental entities. With clear regulatory controls the industry brings many benefits for everyone. It's very important to ensure the integrity of the gaming options offered with internal and external audits so that guests may enjoy gaming knowing it's well-regulated as well as ensuring taxes are collected and spent properly at locations where gaming is established”, said Allie regarding Brazilian legalization process of the activity.
With the nation's largest and most diversified regional gaming footprint, including 42 properties across 20 states, Penn National continues to evolve into a highly innovative omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming, live racing and sports betting entertainment. The Company's properties feature approximately 50,000 gaming machines, 1,300 table games and 8,800 hotel rooms, and operate under various well-known brands, including Hollywood, Ameristar, and L'Auberge.
Their wholly-owned interactive division, Penn Interactive, operates retail sports betting across the Company's portfolio, as well online social casino, bingo, and iCasino products. In February 2020, Penn National entered into a strategic partnership with Barstool Sports, whereby Barstool is exclusively promoting the Company's land-based and online casinos and sports betting products, including the Barstool Sportsbook mobile app, to its national audience.
The company's omni-channel approach is bolstered by the mychoice loyalty program, which rewards and recognizes its over 20 million members for their loyalty to both retail and online gaming and sports betting products with the most dynamic set of offers, experiences, and service levels in the industry.
Source: GMB
