Caesars Plans to Open Southern Indiana $90 Million Land-Based Casino on Dec. 12

Posted on: November 13, 2019, 11:53h. 

Last updated on: November 14, 2019, 10:17h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

In less than a month, the final changes will take place that will transform the Horseshoe Southern Indiana riverboat casino to the Caesars Southern Indiana land-based attraction.

Workers at Horseshoe Southern Indiana take down Horseshoe signage as the Elizabeth, Ind., prepares to open its new land-based casino, which will carry the Caesars brand. The new casino is scheduled to open on Dec. 12. (Image: Casino.org)

Early on Dec. 9, officials with the Caesars Entertainment hotel and casino will officially close the Glory of Rome riverboat that’s hosted gaming on the Ohio River across from Louisville, Ky. Three days later, a ribbon cutting will celebrate the opening of the Caesars-branded casino, which will feature more than 80,000 square feet of gaming on a single level.

Some of the Caesars signage is already visible, and last week workers were taking down the final Horseshoe signage on the Elizabeth, Ind. casino’s parking garage. When the casino opened in November 1998, it was known as Caesars Indiana.

Brad Siegel, a Caesars senior vice president and general manager of the Indiana casino, told the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) during its meeting at the casino last week that the rebranding will help further capitalize on the company’s $90 million investment.

We think that will be just one more pull to get guests to enjoy Caesars and what it is that we have to offer,” he said.

Siegel added that the new casino will have a soft opening on Dec. 11.

New Casino Details

The new casino will feature fewer poker tables and slots than the existing riverboat.

Siegel told the IGC the new venue will have slightly more than 1,200 slot machines, 70 table games, and 16 poker tables.

According to IGC data, the riverboat casino features 1,556 slots and 103 table games sprawled across four floors. The number of riverboat tables includes 30 poker room tables.

Horseshoe reported gross revenues of nearly $16 million for the month of October. That was the largest amount of any of Indiana’s six southern casinos.

Through the first 10 months of 2019, the casino has generated $14.2 million in taxes, again more than any other southern Indiana casino.

One area that will be larger in the new casino will be the Caesars sportsbook. Since sports betting became legal in Indiana in September, the riverboat has offered a small temporary sportsbook, located next to one of its bars. That facility does not offer any seating to watch sporting events.

In all, the new facility will feature about 110,000 square feet of integrated gaming, entertainment, and dining space.

Even after the new casino opens, Siegel said there will be about another four months’ worth of work remaining. That will include work on one of the restaurants, a pizzeria within the casino, and include renovations to the pedway area that will connect the casino to the hotel.

Another addition will be a statue of Augustus Caesar that will be on display. Siegel said the artwork is currently being constructed in Las Vegas.

Celebrations Before and After

Once the new casino opens, Caesars plans to hold 100 days of giveaways and prize awards to begin 2020, Siegel said.

But before all that happens, casino officials will hold a celebration for the Glory of Rome, which has been in operation for 21 years.

Caesars has listed the riverboat for sale.

“Hopefully, we’ll find a buyer who appreciates it as much as we have, but eventually, it’ll float down the Ohio River,” Siegel said.