Exciting new project

Caesars Entertainment celebrated the opening of its new land-based casino in Harrison County, Indiana, on Thursday with a special ceremony. Company executives cut the ribbon to officially open the facility for members of the public to enter at noon.

executives cut the ribbon to officially open the facility for members of the public

A large crowd attended the opening ceremony, all eager to get a glimpse of what the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino looked like from the inside. It didn’t take long for the familiar sound of slot machines to start playing following a brief ceremony of women and men in Ancient Roman dress.

Layout of the new casino

This new facility has all of the usual trappings of a Caesars casino. The usual table games and slot machines are available, and there is also a sportsbook. These gambling options are situated beside a number of bars and restaurants, making it a destination that also caters to non-gamblers.

Caesars General Manager Brad Seigel said that this new property

makes us the very best spot in all hospitality, gaming, restaurants … everything else.”

There are 1,300 slot machines to choose from, as well as 70 different table games. With Indiana recently legalizing sports betting, the casino’s sportsbook will likely be a popular draw also.

Transition from water to land

There is a lot of cost savings associated with going onto dry land, such as saving on security and not needing a maritime crew.

The Glory of Rome riverboat was one of the most popular gambling riverboats in the state for many years, having the capacity for 5,000 passengers. However, even when it was simply docked following the passage of the 2015 law, there were still significant costs.

To mark the closure of the boat, a party was held over the weekend. When it officially closed, the slot machines were moved into the new land-based casino. All of the table games at the new casino, however, are brand new.

Local reaction

Most locals were happy with the new casino, enjoying the modern look and feel. Harrison County is delighted with the new investment in the local area.

The county has been the benefactor of hundreds of millions of dollars since the Glory of Rome riverboat opened in 1998. It hopes that this new casino will continue on in a similar vein.

benefactor of hundreds of millions of dollars since the Glory of Rome riverboat opened in 1998

There are concerns over the reconstruction of a major bridge in the area, with work due to be carried out over the next couple of years. The Sherman Minton Bridge brings most of the traffic to the casino from the Interstate 64. Local leaders are pushing highway officials to avoid completely closing this stretch of road.

Instead, officials are calling for at least a single lane to remain open. Otherwise, the likes of the Caesars Southern Indiana and other local businesses in the area could suffer significantly.