Harrah's Entertainment Takes Riverboat Casinos to New Level

Located at Hammond, Indiana, the casino cost Harah's over $500 million to design and construct.

Harrah's has opened its newest riverboat casino, and it is setting the mark in the next stage of river-based casinos. The Horseshoe Casino in Indiana is a boat like King Kong was a gorilla; the refurbished cruise ship measures 175,000 square feet, dwarfing conventional riverboats.

Located at Hammond, Indiana, the casino cost Harah's over $500 million to design and construct. Rows of table games stretch out, and over 3200 slots wait to ring and peal.

Harrah's has, for all intents, followed the letter of the law, while disregarding any unwritten intent. While Indiana gambling boats are required to be seaworthy, and the Horseshoe is, the ship is much too wide to ever navigate the Hammond inlet; it is basically a permanent addition to the dock.

Harrah's has made its move in order to draw patrons from the unfed Chicago market. While Mayor Daley fights with the Illinois legislature over building a Chicago casino, Harrah's hopes to take advantage of a big head start and find loyal customers who appreciate the Horseshoe's opulence.

Crystal chandeliers and gold-inflected paint provide a luxurious setting, and high-roller and big-spender enticements abound. A poker area modeled after the World Series of Poker features a $10,000 buy-in tournament. A 3000-seat arena is booked with acts that force Harrah's to accept a loss, using the venue as an attraction to bring gamblers aboard.

Other area casinos have seen the stakes raised by Harrah's; now they must figure how best to respond.