Delaware North Companies has removed the Marriott name from the Long Island hotel the company is planning to reopen as a casino later this month.
The Marriott chain doesn’t permit gambling so the Islandia facility is set to debut as Jake’s 58 Hotel & Casino, a reference to its new ownership and the venue’s exit number on the Long Island Expressway.
The Marriott was purchased by a Delaware North affiliate last August for $40.4 million. The company is partnering with Suffolk County Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. with plans to deploy 250 video lottery terminals in the first phase of the rebranding, with the balance of the 1,000 VLTs earmarked for the property arriving by the summer.
Delaware North is also planning upgrades to most of the hotel’s 227 rooms.
The venue will provide more than 200 jobs and is expected to pour millions into the local economy, according to Suffolk OTB officials, who have said revenue from the casino would lift the operator out of bankruptcy, paying off $17.5 million of debt.
The name Jake’s is a nod to the Jacobs family, which has owned Delaware North for more than 100 years.
