First local Wahlburgers opening at Hollywood Casino Columbus this spring

COLUMBUS, Ohio (COLUMBUS BUSINESS FIRST)–Another Mark Wahlberg business is coming to Columbus.

Wahlburgers, the burger chain founded by the actor and entrepreneur and his brothers Donnie Wahlberg and Chef Paul Wahlberg, will open its first Central Ohio location this spring inside the Hollywood Casino Columbus.

The West Broad Street location is fitting; the casino is next to two of the auto dealerships and the RV dealership the actor owns with Michigan-based dealer Jay Feldman.

The chain teased plans for the casino location in 2020.

Wahlburgers, expected to open at the beginning of the second quarter, will take over the Take 2 Grill space in the casino.

The location will be owned and operated by Penn National Gaming (Nasdaq: PENN), owners of the casino, as a franchisee of Wahlburgers.

The celebrity brand joins a pair of local favorites among the casino’s evolving eating options. It added Mikey’s Late Night Slice last spring and Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace in the fall.

“As we have expanded our food and beverage offering, we continue to look for partners with exciting brands that people will want to come to our facility for the experience,” General Manager and Vice President Jason Birney said in a news release. “The proximity of Mark Wahlberg’s car dealerships and the obvious Hollywood connection make this brand the perfect complement for our facility.”

The Wahlberg brothers founded the burger chain in 2001. The menu features burgers, salads, sandwiches, tater tots, and milkshakes. The business was the center of a reality show (with the same name) that ran for 10 seasons on the A&E network. It has grown to 86 locations including restaurants in Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Beyond the new burger, pizza and hot dog dining additions, the 160,000-square-foot Hollywood Casino Columbus also include The Lounge at Final Cut Steak & Seafood, O.H. Sports Bar, and Zen Noodle.

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