In New York, privately-held gaming and entertainments operator Delaware North Companies has reportedly announced that its Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino facility accumulated gross revenues of $199.6 million for the first 26 days of August.

According to a report from Newsday, Delaware North Companies revealed that the figure for the venue was less than the near-$210 million recorded for July but almost 18% up on July’s tally of $169.3 million.

Opened in late-February as the only facility of its kind on Long Island, Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino reportedly declared gross revenues of $157.7 million for June after adding 273 terminals the month before to take its slot estate up to the maximum permitted by law of 1,000 machines.

Buffalo-based Delaware North Companies operates the slots-only casino inside Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino in the small village of Islandia on behalf of the Suffolk County Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation, which is reportedly hoping that the venue will help it to pay off debts of around $15 million.

“We’re real pleased with how we’re doing,” Phil Nolan, President for the Suffolk County Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation, told Newsday. “The numbers have been very, very strong. We’re anticipating continued strength, to put it mildly. It’s a popular recreational activity that cuts across all lines and we have the market on Long Island. It’s close to home.”

Chuck Kilroy, General Manager for Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino, reportedly told the newspaper that another measure of the venue’s success has been the fact that more than 80,000 people have so far signed up for its casino rewards program, which allows frequent players to earn points for free games, hotel rooms and dinners.

“Long Island has an awful lot of things in the summertime,” Kilroy told Newsday. “Overall, we keep seeing more people coming in.”

To keep interest high, Kilroy reportedly explained that the casino inside Jake’s 58 Hotel and Casino will soon replace some of its video lottery terminals with electronic table games featuring a “virtual dealer”. He declared that the move is in response to feedback from bettors that expressed a preference for a more traditional casino experience and will give the property more “variety”.

In addition, Kilroy reportedly told Newsday that every one of the venue’s 228 hotel rooms will soon be renovated with larger bathrooms and improved accessibility for disabled customers. Delaware North Companies purchased the 35-year-old facility once known as the Islandia Marriott Long Island last year and moreover intends to update its plumbing and fire safety systems.

“The rooms are nice now but they’re going to be really nice when we’re done,” Kilroy told the newspaper. “Of course, it doesn’t hurt earning the money from the casino in order to pay for it.”