The final beam is raised during a topping-out ceremony last week at Tioga Downs.
With the new harness racing season set to kick off next week at Tioga Downs, employees at the casino had another reason to celebrate last week. With all employees signing the ceremonial final beam, it was raised into place in a small topping-out ceremony, a traditional builders’ rite, in front of a jubilant group of employees. Construction will continue through the spring and summer with an opening of the hotel planned for November and the opening of the event center planned for December.
“Today marked another milestone for Tioga Downs as we transform into a full-service destination resort. We look forward to finishing up construction and adding more jobs and revenue to the local economy in the very near future,” said Jeff Gural, chairman of American Racing and Entertainment.
According to Scott Freeman, president and general manager of Tioga Downs, construction will proceed through the fall, with furniture to be moved into the new hotel in October. Jacob & Levi’s out of Sugarcreek, Ohio is providing the furniture for the hotel rooms.
“The furniture we chose gives the rooms a very polished and modern appearance. There is nothing better than using real wood to craft furniture here in the United States. Jacob & Levi’s have worked closely with us to customize every detail of the design to fit our exact needs,” Freeman said.
The hotel itself will feature 161 guest rooms and will span a total of six floors. Guests may use any of three swimming areas – an indoor pool, an outdoor pool and a water slide. A spa center and fitness facility are also included in the plans for construction. The new hotel will accommodate special events in its event center. Banquets and receptions can seat up to 400 guests.
Once the hotel is complete and open to the public, the casino will transition to a 24-hour schedule, pending regulatory approval. Once these additional amenities are added, Tioga Downs will be at approximately 800 employees, up from the 550 the casino currently employs.
Tioga Downs recently acquired the Tioga Country Club and opened the golf course April 15 for the spring season. A new clubhouse is currently under construction and will be completed toward the end of the year, for the 2018 season.
For more information on Tioga Downs, visit www.tiogadowns.com.
We love your wonderful casino!! Thank you so much for offering a non-smoking establishment! Your staff is very friendly and courteous. We can’t wait to come and stay in your hotel!!!