Officials at SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia recently announced
The Gibsons Restaurant Group will open Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House by the end of the year at SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia. The 300-seat Hugo’s is part of the property’s $164 million expansion project. Established in 1995 by Steve Lombardo and Hugo Ralli, Hugo’s includes the nickname Frog, which is what Ralli called his grandfather, General Bruce Hay of Her Majesty’s Imperial Forces.
The restaurant will be the first Gibsons Restaurant Group venture in Philadelphia, and it’s the first of several dining options to be announced at SugarHouse. In addition, the project will expand the gaming floor to 85,000 square feet, including 44 additional table games, 289 added slots and a 28-table poker room. A seven-story garage also will be built. Upon completion, the expansion will add 500 new full-time jobs.
SugarHouse General Manager Wendy Hamilton said, “For SugarHouse this expansion has always been about adding terrific new amenities and fulfilling the promise that we made to Philadelphia when we first opened a full service destination-style casino, so this is the next step on our way there. Philly’s reputation as a food town is known internationally so when thinking about our new line up of restaurants we knew this decision was critical.”
Chicago-based Gibsons is the only restaurant group in the U.S. with its own USDA Prime Angus beef certification. Managing Partner Patrick Houlihan said Gibsons is choosy about entering new markets and has declined offers to open their restaurants at other casinos. “In Rush Street Gaming, we found a gaming company that cares about in the hospitality and quality in their casinos in the same way that we at Gibsons care about value, hospitality and quality for our restaurants,” Houlihan said. Added Hugo’s General Manager Jeff Cybulski, “We are excited to bring an unmatched level of beef quality to a city that is steeped in steak history, from cheesesteaks to porterhouse.
