Del Lago Casino and Resort Opens in Upstate New York

The Finger Lakes region of upstate New York gained what may be described as an entertainment mecca with the opening of del Lago Casino and Resort on February 1st. The resort looks to be an addition for vacationers, gamblers and music fans; del Lago boasts a 205 room hotel with a long list of amenities, a fully operational casino, a music venue and a long list of dining options. New York, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, is excited by the opening that will create 1,500 permanent jobs and 300 seasonal jobs; the new complex will increase the gaming revenue of the area to $325 million, increase local tax revenue to $65 million and provide a total of $260 million to the New York State Public Education.

The Casino

The casino at del Lago Casino and Resort is a fully staffed casino with 94,000 square feet of casino floor space and a posh decorating scheme; del Lago and other casinos scheduled to open in the future are part of Governor Cuomo’s plan to open several casinos to compete with the glamour and luxuriousness of Las Vegas Casinos. With over 2,000 slot games, the slots take up a vast majority of the floor space as most machines are on the main floor and a few slot options are housed in the high roller room. Players will find Blackjack, Roulette and Craps tables in two areas of the floor and the 12 table poker room is right next to the group of table games on the southern side of the casino.

Long List of dining Options

Several restaurants offer a wide-range of dining options at del Lago to guests at the casino from fine dining to popular franchise eating establishments. Chef Fabio Viviani brings Portico, an Italian dining experience focused on steaks, seafood and chops; the Farmer’s Market Buffet will feature Mexican and Chinese dishes and serve in-house made gelato. For players looking for a quick bite, the food court has Smashburger, Moe’s Southwest Grill and locally-owned and operated Cicino’s Pizzeria and Paninoteca. The Sociale will offer a café-style menu and a bar, while the centrally-located lounge Centrifico sits in the mid-gaming floor area for players who do not wish to wander too far from their favorite machines.

The Vine

Entertainment has always been considered a large part of Las Vegas casinos and del Lago has that covered in its competition for a Vegas-like experience. The Vine is a 2,400 seat venue that will be used to host music acts and comedians. Some of the early acts booked for the casino’s opening weeks include an already sold out Bad Company appearance, Trace Adkins and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Comedy shows with Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy and others will be performing at the Vine in the near future.

A Full Experience

The del Lago Hotel is not scheduled to open until later in the year, but is expected to offer a luxurious experience with beautiful rooms and a full-service spa. The entire complex is dedicated to giving the East Coast a Las Vegas experience without the long-distance travel. While there was opposition to the resort’s creation and opening, the casino opened on its originally scheduled date and the hotel is on schedule to do the same. Del Lago is committed to giving patrons a full casino and resort experience; visitors and players at the casino can expect a visit to replicate all of the splendor that Las Vegas has to offer without the hassles that come with traveling such a significant distance from the Northeastern United States.