There’s been a lot of buzz about SugarHouse Casino’s new $168 million expansion. The project will bring the total construction cost of the facility to $559 million and increases its 108,000-square-foot facility to approximately 260,000 square feet. While the gaming floor will increase from approximately 50,000 square feet to roughly 85,000 square feet, the primary intention for the expansion was to focus on non-gaming amenities, including a multipurpose event space and a seven-story parking garage of roughly 600,000 square feet.

Additional services SugarHouse leadership have been hyping are the new dining options that the expansion will bring. The addition of high-quality eats had been mentioned countless times since the project broke ground last August, but details have never been shared with the media. SugarHouse General Manager Wendy Hamilton’s lips remained pursed when asked for specifics. These details all came to light on Wednesday, September 2 when SugarHouse announced that Hugo’s Frog Bar and Chop House would be hopping… I mean, hitting the area as the first of several to-be-announced new dining concepts at SugarHouse.

“It’s a very exciting day for us at SugarHouse,” Hamilton said. “Today, for the first time, we get to talk about one of my favorite subjects — the food! Some of the biggest names in food are in Philly or from Philly. It’s no secret that we take eating very seriously here.”

She continued: “Philly’s reputation as a food town is known internationally at this point, so when thinking about our new lineup of restaurants, we knew this decision was critical. Simply put, when it comes to food and beverage the bar is very high, so we needed a signature restaurant that could literally leap over it.”

Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House is a member of Gibsons Restaurant Group, which has operated Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse in its hometown of Chicago for more than two decades. Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House is Gibsons’ first Philadelphia restaurant, becoming the group’s 13th location.

“Philadelphia is a great restaurant town, there no doubt about that. We’re not here thinking we’re going to change the world, we’re here to bring quality, hospitality, value and a great steakhouse,” Gregg Horan, Director of Operations/Managing Partner of Gibsons, said. “We’re happy to get the opportunity to learn here. You know, everywhere we go we try to pick up new stuff. We didn’t invent this business, we’re like everyone else — trying to pick up bits and pieces and make it all work.

Despite the froggy undertones, you’ll find no French inspired cuisses de grenouille here — Nope, this is an American steakhouse. In fact, Gibsons is the only restaurant group in the country to have its own USDA Prime Angus beef certification, which Hugo’s will serve at SugarHouse. And while you can find plenty of top-notch steakhouses downtown, Hugo’s will be the first traditional steakhouse to open in the Fishtown area, unless you count the Aramingo Applebees or the odd “Steakhouse” Google Maps listing for Ekta.

Because of how Gibsons Angus beef is prepared, steaks get a thin, charred crust that helps seal in natural juices and flavor. Hugo’s Philadelphia General Manager Jeff Cybulski discussed the restaurant signature dish, The “Philly Cut,” which is a play on the cheesesteak. The savory dish is a 12-ounce rib eye cap, topped with smoked provolone, crispy shallots and fried herbs. The Philly Cut will be served only at Hugo’s new SugarHouse location.

Cybulski has gone from prep cook at Gibsons Restaurant Group to a general manager. An alumni of College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University, Cybulski made his way to the front of house staff and management positions and returned to school to earn a degree in hospitality management. He’s been with Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House at Rivers Casino, Des Plaines, Illinois, since 2012 and has worked his way from manager to general manager.

“I’m very excited to start and to reach out into the community to find some talent around here and bring them in,” Cybulski said. “It’s a great area for up-and-coming chefs and people who are serious about what they want to do and provide for a customer base that is serious about what they want to eat. It’s the perfect place for me — there’s just this vibe about the city that’s attractive to me. What I’m going to do provide that service that’s at the core of Gibsons existence. I’m going to make sure that everyone who walks through that door is an important person to me.”

In addition to the Philly Cut, Hugo’s menu is set to include crab cakes served with a hot pink mayo; a family-style Garbage Salad with cheese, peppers and ham; Gibsons Prime Angus New York strip, bone-in ribeye and filet mignon; Scottish Salmon Meyer served with lemon butter and roasted wild mushrooms; double baked potatoes; and Gibsons carrot cake.

Gibsons Restaurant Group will be the official caterer for the casino’s 30,000-square-foot multipurpose event space, featuring the group’s entire menu. SugarHouse aniticaptes the space to be well-suited for corporate events, wedding receptions and black-tie galas with free parking for all attendees.

SugarHouse’s expansion is scheduled to open by year-end 2015. The exact date of the Hugo’s restaurant opening is still to be determined.