Boyd Gaming unveiled the first step last week of a planned makeover of the 67-year-old Fremont Hotel and Casino downtown.
The initial $50 million effort added 10,000 square feet to the casino floor and sportsbook branded under the FanDuel name. A 13,150-square-foot food hall with six dining options and seats for 220 people also was part of the renovation.
Boyd Gaming eliminated Fremont’s buffet area and a parking lot along 3rd Street to make room for the expansion.
“We’ve constantly reinvested over the years to make our properties appealing and attractive to visitors,” Boyd Executive Vice President of Operations Steve Thompson said prior to a ribbon cutting last Thursday.
Operators of the six food court tenants, elected city leaders and top Boyd officials, including Vice Chairwoman Marianne Boyd Johnson and director William R. Boyd, also attended
“Over the coming months, we will upgrade the rest of the Fremont casino floor one section at a time,” Thompson said. “The entire Fremont casino will have the look and feel of this expanded consumer space and exciting new design for one of downtown’s most legendary properties.”
Boyd operates Main Street Station and California Hotel Casino, along with the Fremont, which makes downtown one of the company’s key markets.
Boyd Gaming owns 5 percent of FanDuel, which had a nation-leading 45 percent of overall sports betting revenue in the U.S. through November, according to casino industry advisors Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. FanDuel operates the sportsbooks in Boyd casinos in eight of the company’s regional states.
However, the Fremont sportsbook is operated by Boyd employees and managed by the company. The agreement was approved by Nevada gaming regulators last summer.
The 2,900-square-foot sportsbook includes a bar area with 12 bar top slot machines, 12 television monitors, four wagering widows and seven self-serve betting kiosks.
The Fremont’s expanded casino space allowed for 120 additional slot machines.
Source: The Nevada Independent
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