Mashantucket Pequot owner of Foxwoods Casino to renovate historic casino
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns Foxwoods has announced its investing of US$12.5 million to redevelop the historic casino at the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel, in partnership with hospitality services firm LionGrove.
The new Foxwoods El San Juan Casino at the Fairmont hotel along the Isla Verde Beach, will boast 15,000-square-foot gaming offering ot state of the art slot machines and table games. The casino will also incorporate a sportsbook when regulatory norms are approved in the US territory.
The Mashantucket Tribe has been looking to expand its gaming footprint outside of its home state of Connecticut. Tribal Chair Rodney Butler said the Fairmont in Puerto Rico was attractive for several reasons, “checking so many boxes for us that we were excited to be a part of it.”
In a press conference at the resort property, Butler added that he hopes to have the casino project compete later this year and begin operations before 2022. The casino is expected to create around 150 permanent jobs and generate an annual economic impact of US$22 million for the island.
Fairmont acquired the El San Juan resort in 2015, spending US$65 million renovating the property, and nearly doubling the investment with US$60 million after Hurricane Maria ravaged the area and the hotel in 2017, but there’s been no gaming since Maria struck Puerto Rico.
The El San Juan casino and hotel first opened in the 1960s and became an A-list hangout for Hollywood and New York City’s biggest names during the winter months. The resort’s entertainment space called the Tropicoro hosted such legends as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Tony Martin, Liza Minnelli, Rita Moreno, and Paul Anka. The new Mashantuckets and LionGrove investment will also bring back the Tropicoro entertainment space.
