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Delaware Park is undergoing a $10 million renovation that will modernize the casino floor with new slot machines, food and drink options and areas for high-limit play.

Changes are already in progress at the Stanton racetrack and casino, where in addition to the refreshed amenities guests will find brighter lighting, carpeting and wallpaper contributing to an overall new feel.

"There's a breath of new life in this property," said Terry Glebocki, president and general manager of Delaware Park Casino & Racing.

The renovation began in January, a little over a year after Delaware Park changed ownership. The Rickman family, which had controlled the racetrack and casino for almost four decades, sold the facility to a joint venture between Rubico Gaming and a private equity firm called Clairvest Group.

The new owners knew from the beginning that they wanted to update the casino, Glebocki said. Under the Rickmans, wood paneling, antique light fixtures and gauche signage gave the main casino floor an aged feel. The changes are aimed at making the property more comfortable for guests and raising its status in the region.

The new look

The main casino entrance demonstrates the stark difference between old and new. The left leads to a dark hallway, sparsely populated with slot machines and lit with an orange hue. That's where renovations are still to come. "That's had its day," Glebocki said.

To the right, where changes have already been made, slot machines taller than most humans coated in LED screens are inescapable. There is bright, white lighting, modern decor and fresh carpet that follows a custom red, orange and gray pattern. (Blue horseshoes can also be spotted in the carpet, an ode to the facility's history).

One of the more significant projects still to come is a new area at the main entrance that will bring the latest and most popular machines forward. The casino has relocated the promotions booth that previously greeted guests and will open up what is now "back of house" space to make the entrance more open and inviting.

A coffee stand to the left that has been closed since the pandemic will be replaced with new slot machines. The entrance area is expected to be completed this fall.

Other changes so far

Glebocki highlighted the casino's slot machine offerings, which she said will continue to be top of the line.

Because of the way Delaware casinos interact with the state lottery, they are able to bring in the top product from their vendors. In other states, like New Jersey, casinos have a lower tax rate but pay vendors a daily usage fee or a percentage of revenue for each machine. In Delaware, casinos pay much more in taxes to the state but vendors get their cut through agreements with the lottery not the casinos.