Casino Reviews: Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course

Introduction

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course is a relatively modest "racino" located in Youngstown, Ohio. As the name implies, besides slot machines, Hollywood Mahoning also offers live racing and simulcast betting for patrons to enjoy although if you're looking for table games or poker, you're out of luck. Traveling to Hollywood Mahoning is easy, as it's located only a few minutes off the highway with plenty of non-garage parking. Realize this gaming destination is a singular destination without any other options in walking distance from the casino itself.

Slot Machines

People have different tastes in slot machines and I'm happy to report that even with its modest size, Hollywood Mahoning has options for all major and many minor slot manufacturers. Every casino will have IGT, WMS, Bally and Aristocrat, but you can even find some Ainsworth, Incredible Technologies, and Aruze on the floor which is most welcome! Because there are so many old and new favorites, unfortunately it's impossible for them to cover all the bases because of their size, although they have recently expanded which helps the cause. While there isn't a huge amount of high-limit gaming here, you can find some classics at the $22.50 bet level although having some more options would be a great next step to take. One easy solution is to make most machines on the floor Multi-Denominational to give options for everyone! Being a relatively new casino, you won't find any really old(classic?!) slots on the floor although not everything is brand new, either. For example, you can find classic Zeus which is always fun to play!

Dining

Hollywood Mahoning offers a food court with basic options if you're in the mood for something fast and easy. In the upper level over-looking the casino floor is the Skybox sports bar which offers sandwiches, steaks and other entrees in a casual atmosphere. Service and food are both reliably very good: their BBQ Salmon is a favorite!

Player's Club

Hollywood Mahoning is part of the Marquee Rewards Player's Club which has 5 levels of tier status from the base level of "Marquee Rewards" all the way to the very exclusive "Icon" level, which even I have yet to come close to. You can read about the details of their rewards program at MarqueeRewards.com.

My quick take is that Free Play promotional offers are above average if you're an established player, which is somewhat balanced by the lack of a "cash back" system Your status is reevaluated every 6 months, which seems to be a trend with many Player's Clubs recently.

What I Like Most

Having been a patron of casinos for over 20 years, it becomes clear when management re-enforces on its employees to provide top-quality friendly service to all of its customers versus those that just view you as a number where the goal is to take your money as quickly as possible in order to get you out the door as quickly as possible. I can thankfully report this Hollywood is in the former category! Slot attendants, servers, cage personnel and security have always been friendly and that makes a huge difference in creating a welcoming atmosphere. When casinos forget they are in the service business, they will decline thanks to the current level of competition that exists. Better customer service is likely easier to accomplish with smaller casinos and as such, sometimes bigger isn't better, if the cost is that service.

Free Play offers are also above average, and combined with other promotions I think they do a good job with regard to promotions in general.

Quick Facts:

• Slot Machines: YES

• Table Games: NO

• Poker Room: NO

• Horse Racing: YES

• Hotel: NO

• Fine Dining: NO

• Concert Venue: NO

• Rewards Club: Marquee Rewards