Ohio's first casino opens its doors to the public

Horseshoe Cleveland is a full member in Total Rewards, Caesars Entertainment's loyalty program. The grand-opening event was attended by Gary Loveman, chairman, CEO and president of Caesars Entertainment Corporation; Dan Gilbert, chairman of Rock Gaming; Marcus Glover, general manager and senior vice president of Horseshoe Cleveland; Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson; and many others. More than 4,000 members of the public lined up for hours to be the first to experience downtown Cleveland's newest world-class entertainment destination.

"It is a genuine pleasure to finally bring the Horseshoe brand and its legacy of great hospitality as well as our Total Rewards loyalty program to this exciting new market," said Loveman. "Our team members are proud to play a part in bringing Ohio's first casino to the city of Cleveland."

"From the time that we embarked on this us$ 350 million casino development, we have looked for ways to create a more powerful impact for downtown Cleveland and our guests," said Gilbert, who is also majority owner of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers and chairman and founder of Quicken Loans, Inc. "We have doubled down on our commitments to Ohio. We believe more than ever that Horseshoe Cleveland - combined with the many other new and exciting developments under way in this city - will be a big shot in the arm for this hard-working community."

As an urban casino, the development was designed to engage pedestrians and support existing culture, nightlife and sports attractions downtown. The property has breathed new life into the mostly vacant former Higbee's Department Store that is beloved by locals and recognized nationally. ROC went to great lengths to preserve and highlight the historic character of the 81-year old building, transforming four floors into a full-service gaming destination. The 96,000 square-foot gaming floor offers approximately 2,100 slot machines, 63 table games, a 30-table World Series of Poker room and a VIP players lounge.

Other highlights of the property include The Spread buffet, a food court featuring three Cleveland-based restaurants (Iron Chef Michael Symon's B Spot, Corky & Lenny's and local Chef Rocco Whalen's Rosie and Rocco's), two casino bars and a gift shop. Additionally, the casino has partnered with nearly a dozen restaurants downtown to offer fine dining experiences to its guests through Total Rewards. Preferred relationships also allow the casino to offer guests overnight accommodations at three premium downtown hotels: The ROC-owned Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland; The Renaissance Cleveland and the Marriott at Key Center.

Nearly 2,000 construction jobs were created during the Higbee renovation. The casino employs 1,600 team members with approximately 94 percent from the Cleveland area. The casino is projected to create us$ 100 million annually in gaming tax revenue and generate five million visits annually to downtown Cleveland, adding to the city's impressive sports, entertainment, music and cultural attractions.

ROC is also developing an urban casino in downtown Cincinnati, which is expected to open in spring 2013.