The first phase of the Delaware North-operated gaming venue at the company-owned Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino in Islandia, N.Y., opened on Monday, Feb. 27, bringing hundreds of patrons to Long Island’s first video lottery terminal (VLT) casino.
Three years in the making since Delaware North was selected by Suffolk Off-Track Betting to develop and operate a gaming venue in Suffolk County, the opening with 265 VLTs – the full 1,000 VLTs are anticipated to be operational by summer 2017 – represents an important step forward for Delaware North’s gaming business.
It also represents the beginning of a strong relationship between the company and the surrounding community as the Village of Islandia will receive millions of dollars from the casino’s gaming operations over the next 20 years that it will use for a major reduction in property taxes for its residents. In addition, Delaware North has provided the village $1.5 million to pay for the completion of construction and development of the First Responders Recreation Field on Old Nichols Road in Islandia.
“I want to thank the New York State Gaming Commission for its approval and the Village of Islandia for supporting our gaming project, which is bringing jobs, economic development and a convenient and much-desired new entertainment destination to Long Island,” said Brian Hansberry, president of Delaware North’s gaming business.
“A lot of people worked really hard on this, including our corporate gaming team, Delaware North’s corporate departments, many associates from our gaming operations at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack and Hamburg Gaming, and General Manager Chuck Kilroy and the great team he has assembled at Jake’s 58. I thank them for a job well done,” Hansberry said.
The first phase, completed in the hotel’s former conference space, also includes two Off-Track Betting kiosks with racing simulcast monitors. Renovations to the 227-room hotel’s former banquet space and indoor pool will continue to accommodate phase 2 of the gaming venue, as well as an expansion of the Bistro 58 restaurant and grab-and-go food and beverage outlets on the gaming floors. Delaware North purchased the hotel in August 2016.
“I’m really happy to get it started,” Kilroy told Newsday. “We think we’ll be really busy based on the last few weeks and especially the last few days when we had several hundred people coming by each day in person to check on the opening, and the phones have also been ringing off the hook.”
Kilroy said he anticipates adding more games in the Phase 1 space in March to bring the total to about 300 VLTs until the second phase is completed by summer. Included among the VLTs in the second phase will be about 60 electronic table games such as blackjack and craps.
The new venue enjoyed a steady stream of patrons on Day 1 through late Monday evening as word of mouth, social media and media outlets’ stories spread the word.
“I’m enjoying it so much; it’s really a good time,” John Petrowicz of Medford told News 12 Long Island at the opening.
Another guest, Florence Alfano of Kings Park, told the news station: “It’s really nice. I like the machines and they seem to be hitting.”
The name Jake’s 58, announced in early February, is a nod to the Jacobs family and to the nearby Exit 58 of I-495, the Long Island Expressway.
