SugarHouse Casino breaks ground on $164 million expansion

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- SugarHouse Casino broke ground Tuesday on a $164 million expansion to its Delaware Riverfront property.

The expansion, slated to open in 2015, will boast Philadelphia's first 30-table poker room, a multi-purpose event space, new restaurants, and more parking.

The casino says the expansion will also add 500 new, permanent, full- and part-time jobs to Philadelphia. In addition, 1,600 construction jobs that will be created throughout the duration of the expansion.

City officials and community leaders joined SugarHouse Casino executives this morning for the ceremonial groundbreaking.

The casino says it has vowed a $1 million annual contribution to the Penn Treaty Special Services District upon the expansion's completion.

In a statement released to the public, general manager Wendy Hamilton said, "We are thrilled to be one step closer to the bigger and better SugarHouse Casino ... Our guests and team have been waiting for this moment, and we're excited to say that it's finally here. Groundbreaking is a huge milestone for us."

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For more information visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.