Caesars Southern Indiana

Last updated
Caesars Southern Indiana
Horseshoe Southern Indiana from west.jpg
View from the west
Location Elizabeth, Indiana
Address 11999 Casino Center Drive SE
Opening dateDecember 12, 2019
ThemeRomanesque
No. of rooms503
Total gaming space110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2)
Casino typeLand-based
Owner Vici Properties
Operating license holder EBCI Holdings, LLC
Previous names
  • Caesars Indiana (1998-2008)
  • Horseshoe Southern Indiana (2008-2019)
Renovated in2008, 2016, 2019
Website caesars.com/caesars-southern-indiana

Caesars Southern Indiana (formerly Caesars Indiana and Horseshoe Southern Indiana [1] ) is a casino hotel in Southern Indiana. Opened in 1998, it is owned by Vici Properties and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, using the Caesars name under license from Caesars Entertainment. It is located outside the community of Elizabeth, Indiana at the Harrison County line, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky. This is the closest casino to Louisville because casino gambling is not allowed in neighboring Floyd County. Locals often simply call it "The Boat", a reference to the former riverboat that was the main focus of the complex.

Contents

The complex includes over 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of gaming space, a sports betting lounge, and several restaurants. Other amenities include a hotel, a pavilion, a showroom, two parking decks, and a golf course. Steelman Partners designed the hotel.

History

On November 8, 1994, a ballot proposal to allow riverboat gambling was passed by the residents of Harrison County, Indiana, following legislation passed by the General Assembly to allow such gambling in the Hoosier state. In January 1995 five different proposals were given to the Indiana Gaming Commission in order to begin a riverboat gambling organization in Harrison County. Over a year passed before the proposition by the partnership of ITT Corporation's Caesars division and Riverboat Development Incorporated (RDI) was approved, granting the Caesars World/RDI partnership the preliminary license in May 1996. [2]

The initial plan of the Caesars/RDI partnership was for the complex to cost $228 million, but by early 1998 the projected cost was raised to $275 million. They chose a site near Bridgeport, Indiana, an unincorporated town located immediately on the Harrison County side of the Harrison County/Floyd County border; the site is 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Louisville, Kentucky (Kentucky's largest metropolis), and was selected after performing a study to determine the nearest accessible location (to the city) that would permit a riverboat casino to operate legally. Louisville officials attempted to delay the construction of Caesars Indiana, to protect the gambling revenue of Churchill Downs and other Kentucky horse racing interests. Environmental groups lodged similar complaints due to concerns regarding the potential negative impact of the proposed development on local air quality, waterways, and wildlife. The Caesars/RDI partnership had already spent $11 million on making necessary improvements to use the newly acquired property. A preliminary study by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in February 1998 determined that further environmental studies, which would have delayed the building of the necessary facilities for Caesars Indiana, were not necessary. However, the United States Army Corps of Engineers did caution the Caesars/RDI partnership to carefully consider the number of trees to be cleared and the impact on runoff water. [3]

Caesars Indiana was finally opened to the public on November 20, 1998. The riverboat was initially slated to begin operating in the summer of 1998, but interference by three different Indiana environmental groups issuing lawsuits, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (due to the Army Corps of Engineers concluding that a full environmental study was unnecessary), and heavy rains in the spring of 1998 delayed the opening. A VIP cruise on November 16, 1998, was the first sailing of the riverboat. [3]

Horseshoe Southern Indiana Caesars indiana.jpg
Horseshoe Southern Indiana

Since 1998, Horseshoe Southern Indiana has employed 2,400 people. It has been estimated that Horseshoe Southern Indiana has diverted $12 million in lottery revenue annually from the state of Kentucky. [3] Because the original charter of the Colony of Virginia gave Virginia ownership of the entire Ohio River, which now forms the border between Kentucky and Indiana, Kentucky (which was split from Virginia in 1792) claims ownership of the entire river, and has often threatened to stop operations of riverboat casinos on the Ohio in neighboring states. Notably, a resolution proposed in the Kentucky House in 2002 called for "the purchase of a submarine to patrol the waters of the Commonwealth and search and destroy all casino riverboats." [4] However, the non-binding resolution was never on the docket for a vote, and its sponsor said the resolution was in jest to protest Kentucky's ongoing prohibition of casino gambling. [5]

Due to the ownership of Caesars World having changed hands, Caesars Indiana was run by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and then by Park Place Entertainment. [3]

From June 7 to June 19, 1999, the casino was shut down due to a river barge hitting the riverboat and due to excessive silt at its mooring site. [6] It shut down again from March 20 to March 23 in 2008 due to unusually high river levels. [7] High river levels again caused them to close in March 2011, April 2011 and March 2015, each for a handful of days.

As part of its continual existence, the State of Indiana requires the casino to give money to two different charitable foundations in Harrison and Floyd Counties. [8]

In 2002, the Indiana legislature voted to allow casino riverboats to dock permanently. [9] From 2002 to 2019, the riverboat never left the dock, except for once per year to prove to the United States Coast Guard that the vessel was seaworthy and could move under its own power.

Horseshoe Southern Indiana was given as an example to discredit Kentucky governor Ernie Fletcher's claims that Kentucky casinos would enable prostitution during the 2007 Kentucky governors race. [10]

In recent years, Horseshoe Southern Indiana has co-sponsored Thunder Over Louisville. [11]

An earthquake on April 18, 2008, caused the complex to lose electrical power, and it had to rely on backup generators. [12]

Completed in April 2017, a $13-million renovation refurbished all 503 guest rooms, suites and the hotel lobby. The hotel remained fully operational during the renovation.

In October 2017, ownership of the property was transferred to Vici Properties as part of a corporate spin-off, and it was leased back to Caesars Entertainment. [13] [14]

In 2015, the Indiana legislature amended the law to allow casino gambling on land. In 2018, construction began on a land-based casino to replace the riverboat. On December 9, 2019, the riverboat was permanently closed. On December 12, 2019, a $90-million 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2) land-based casino replaced the riverboat after 18 months of construction. The property's name was changed to Caesars Southern Indiana to coincide with the opening. The new venue includes dining, shopping, gaming, and entertainment. Sports wagering was also added to the venue following Indiana's legalization of sports betting earlier in 2019. [15]

In September 2021, Caesars sold the operating business of Caesars Southern Indiana to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) for $250 million. [16] The tribe would lease the complex from Vici for $33 million per year. The property would keep its existing name, under license from Caesars. [17]

Facilities

The former main focus of the Horseshoe Southern Indiana complex was the M/V Glory of Rome riverboat, a four-story boat that was the largest riverboat in North America. It was also the largest riverboat casino in the world. It cost $50 million to construct. It is 452 feet (138 m) long, 100 feet (30 m) wide, with a total area of 173,200 square feet (16,090 m2). It has four 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) Z-Drives. The smokestacks rise 100 feet (30 m) from the waterline, with eight feet below the waterline. The riverboat had 93,000-square-foot (8,600 m2) of casino space with a maximum capacity of 5,030 "persons" (passengers and crew combined), with 3,600 gaming positions, 2,800 slot machines, and over 140 gaming tables. Since the casino has now moved onto dry land, and the riverboat is no longer part of the casino complex, Caesars announced plans to sell the riverboat. [18]

In a year 2000 study by the state of Indiana, 51.4% of casino employees are female, 12.9% are minorities, and 42.3% of employees coming from places other than Harrison, Floyd, and Clark County, Indiana. Only 30% of the 4.5 million admissions to the casino were of Indiana residents. There were 68 arrests that year, mostly due to public drunkenness. [8]

Caesars Southern Indiana also includes a nature preserve, over 10 restaurants, a conference center, hotel, shopping center, and a nearby golf course with an equestrian theme called Chariot Run. [3] [19]

In September 2022 it was announced that a Gordon Ramsay Steak restaurant will be opened at Caesars Southern Indiana before the end of the year. [20]

Transportation

Bus shuttles to Caesars Southern Indiana from Indianapolis and Louisville are made available, with reservations available. [21]

The facility includes a four-level parking garage, and is primarily accessed by Indiana 111. Although it is located directly across the river from Southwest Louisville, due to the lack of a bridge, Louisvillians must drive north first through New Albany to reach Caesars. During various parts of the planning of the Ohio River Bridges Project, a bridge connecting Louisville directly to Indiana 111 has been proposed, with a primary advantage being easier access to Caesars. [22] However, as of 2019, no plans existed for such a bridge.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrison County, Indiana</span> County in Indiana, United States

Harrison County is located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. The county was officially established in 1808. Its population was 39,654 as of the 2020 United States Census. Its county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrah's Entertainment</span> American gaming corporation

Harrah's Entertainment was an American casino and hotel company founded in Reno, Nevada, and based in Paradise, Nevada, that operated over 50 properties and seven golf courses under several brands. In 2013, it was the fourth-largest gambling company in the world, with annual revenues of $8.6 billion. It was acquired in 2020 by Eldorado Resorts, which then changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrah's Gulf Coast</span>

Harrah's Gulf Coast is a casino and hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turfway Park</span> Horse racing track in Florence, Kentucky, US

Turfway Park is an American horse racing track located within the city limits of Florence, Kentucky, about 10 miles (16 km) south of the Ohio River at Cincinnati. The track conducts live Thoroughbred horse racing during two meets each year—Holiday (December), and Winter/Spring —and offers year-round simulcast wagering from tracks across the continent.

Bally's Evansville is a casino hotel and entertainment complex in downtown Evansville, Indiana, owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Bally's Corporation.

Gold Strike Tunica is a casino hotel in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, 20 minutes south of Memphis, Tennessee. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Cherokee Nation Businesses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harveys Lake Tahoe</span> Resort and casino in Stateline, Nevada

Harveys Lake Tahoe is a hotel and casino located in Stateline, Nevada. It has 742 rooms and suites as well as six restaurants and a casino with 87,500 square feet (8,130 m2) of space. It also has a video arcade, wedding chapel, pool, convention center and a full-service health club. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tunica Roadhouse Hotel</span>

The Tunica Roadhouse Hotel was a hotel and spa located in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horseshoe Casino Tunica</span> American gambling resort in Mississippi

Horseshoe Casino Tunica is a casino resort located in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, United States. It was developed by Jack Binion, the son of Las Vegas gaming legend Benny Binion, and named after his father's famous Binion's Horseshoe downtown gambling hall. Much like its namesake, the Horseshoe Tunica is known for catering to serious gamblers, particularly table games players, and is known for its liberal, player-favorable rules and its comp policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrah's Council Bluffs</span>

Harrah's Council Bluffs is a hotel and casino located in Council Bluffs, Iowa across the Missouri River from Omaha, Nebraska. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Harrah's Council Bluffs has many amenities including a 251-room hotel, 2 restaurants and 2 bars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrah's Metropolis</span>

Harrah's Metropolis is a riverboat casino located on the Ohio River in Metropolis, Illinois. It opened in 1993 as Players Island, a joint venture between Players International and show business impresario Merv Griffin as one of the state's first casinos. The property became part of Harrah's Entertainment with its 2000 acquisition of Players International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belterra Casino Resort & Spa</span>

Belterra Casino Resort & Spa is a riverboat casino on the Ohio River in Switzerland County, Indiana near Florence, roughly halfway between Louisville, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Boyd Gaming.

Indiana law authorizes ten land-based or riverboat casinos on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River, one land-based casino in French Lick, and racinos at the state's two horse tracks. In addition, there is one Indian casino in the state. Other forms of legal gambling are the Hoosier Lottery, parimutuel wagering on horse races, and sports betting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horseshoe Bossier City</span> Louisiana gambling casino

Horseshoe Bossier City is a riverboat casino in Bossier City, Louisiana, across the river from Shreveport. Horseshoe Bossier City has 606 suites in its 25-story hotel tower. Horseshoe has over 1,500 slot machines and over 60 table games. Horseshoe has over 200 video poker machines, and a 14-table poker room. The casino is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horseshoe Hammond</span> Casino in Indiana

Horseshoe Casino Hammond is a casino located in Hammond, Indiana. The 400,000-square-foot (37,000 m2) property containing gaming, entertainment, restaurants, bars, and lounges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrah's Joliet</span>

Harrah's Joliet is a riverboat casino in Joliet, Illinois, outside Chicago, operated by Caesars Entertainment. It has 1,138 slot machines, 204 hotel rooms, and 4 restaurants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati</span> American casino

Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati is a casino in Cincinnati, Ohio, owned by Vici Properties and operated by Hard Rock International. It opened in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caesars Entertainment</span> American gaming company

Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corporation and changed its own name to Caesars Entertainment on July 20, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Entertainment</span> Gaming, hospitality, and entertainment company

Jack Entertainment is a gaming, hospitality, and entertainment company based in Cleveland, Ohio. The company operates two gaming facilities in Ohio, Jack Cleveland Casino and Jack Thistledown Racino.

Vici Properties Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in casino and entertainment properties, based in New York City. It was formed in 2017 as a spin-off from Caesars Entertainment Corporation as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. It owns 54 casinos, hotels, and racetracks, 4 golf courses, and 38 bowling alleys around the United States and Canada.

References

  1. "Horseshoe Southern Indiana casino is getting a new name plus on-site sports betting".
  2. Kleber, John E. Encyclopedia of Louisville. (University Press of Kentucky). pg.154.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Kleber 154
  4. "HR256 - Web version". Kentucky Legislature. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  5. "Hello, Submarine". Snopes.com . Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  6. "Caesars Indiana's Glory of Rome to resume operations", Business First of Louisville, June 17, 1999
  7. Otts, Chris (2008-03-23). "Louisville prepares to clean as flood ebbs". Courier-Journal . pp. 1B.
  8. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-03-23. Retrieved 2008-04-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. Weidenbener, Lesley Stedman (2007-04-01). "Letting casinos lose motors may cause waves". Courier-Journal .
  10. "Hookers and hit men don't follow casinos to town", Business First of Louisville, July 20, 2007
  11. "2006 Business Review: February", Business First of Louisville, January 5, 2007
  12. WAVE (TV), Louisville Kentucky, April 18, 2008
  13. "Vici Properties Inc., completes spin-off from Caesars Entertainment Operating Company" (Press release). Vici Properties. October 6, 2017 via NewsBank.
  14. Form 424B4: Prospectus (Report). Vici Properties. February 2, 2018. p. F-54 via EDGAR.
  15. "Caesars Southern Indiana's new $90 million casino opens for business". WDRB.com. 12 December 2019.
  16. Tobin, Ben (September 3, 2021). "Caesars Southern Indiana casino officially under new ownership after closing of $250M deal". The Courier-Journal . Louisville, KY. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  17. Richard N. Velotta (December 24, 2020). "Caesars divesting Indiana casino to Cherokee tribe for $250M". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
  18. "Horseshoe Southern Indiana throwing goodbye party for the boat".
  19. Indiana Attractions at Horseshoe Southern Indiana. Things to do in Indiana
  20. Ghabour, Dahlia (8 September 2022). "Gordon Ramsay Steak to open at Caesars Southern Indiana". The Louisville Courier-Journal. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  21. Shuttle Schedule – Horseshoe Southern Indiana
  22. Poynter, Chris (2004-01-17). "Southwest Jefferson bridge proposed". Courier-Journal . pp. 1B.

38°10′48″N85°54′18″W / 38.18000°N 85.90500°W / 38.18000; -85.90500