Laughlin Constable PR wins PRSA Chicago Skyline Award for Hollywood Casino Joliet campaign

Laughlin Constable Public Relations won a PRSA Chicago Skyline Award for a campaign that supported PENN Entertainment’s $185 million transformation of Hollywood Casino Joliet into a land-based entertainment destination. The recognition spotlights a 21-month communications effort that drove strong media reach and helped launch one of Chicagoland’s major casino redevelopments.

Why it matters: - The award recognizes a campaign tied to a major redevelopment that changed a 30-year-old riverboat casino into a new entertainment destination in Chicagoland. - The work delivered measurable communications results, including broad earned media reach and near-universal positive coverage. - The campaign also helped support a larger brand shift for PENN Entertainment in the region.

What happened: - Laughlin Constable Public Relations won a PRSA Chicago Skyline Award for its “Hollywood Casino Joliet Transforms Experience” campaign. - PRSA Chicago presented the award at its annual gala on Sept. 17, 2026. - The campaign was honored in the Integrated Communications, Consumer Services category. - The work was done on behalf of PENN Entertainment.

The details: - The campaign supported the transformation of Hollywood Casino Joliet from a 30-year-old riverboat casino into a $185 million land-based entertainment destination. - The new property features celebrity chef dining, state-of-the-art gaming and a regional sports hub. - LCPR’s work ran for 21 months and used a three-phase strategy. - The plan included earned media relations, community partnership engagement, influencer marketing, internal communications, public affairs and event planning. - Campaign moments included a community groundbreaking, a media day with celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis, a nonprofit gala giveaway, a construction media preview and a grand opening ribbon-cutting in August 2025. - The campaign reached an earned media audience of more than 1.4 billion. - The effort delivered 19 strategically timed storytelling moments. - About 95% of coverage carried at least one key message. - Coverage was nearly 100% positive. - LCPR also supported the opening of PENN’s $360 million Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora about a year later in the Chicagoland area. - The Hollywood Casino Joliet campaign also won a national PRSA 2026 Silver Anvil Award. - LCPR has earned more than a dozen PRSA Silver and Bronze Anvil Awards, multiple PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards, PRSA Southeast Wisconsin Paragon Awards, the HSMAI Adrian Award, the Mercury Award and a PRWeek US Award finalist nod.

Between the lines: - The award shows how integrated communications can support a physical redevelopment while building public awareness and community momentum. - The timing of the award, after the grand opening, suggests PRSA Chicago viewed both the strategy and the business impact as strong. - The scale of the media results indicates the campaign reached well beyond local casino marketing.

What's next: - LCPR said it continues to support organizations across Illinois, Wisconsin, the greater Midwest and nationwide. - The agency’s broader portfolio suggests more public relations work tied to entertainment, hospitality and public affairs campaigns ahead. - The company also points to its Illinois and Wisconsin affiliation with PRConsultants Group, Inc. as part of its regional support network.

The bottom line: - LCPR turned a casino redevelopment into an award-winning communications campaign with major reach, strong message delivery and a clear business tie-in.