Caesars' Horseshoe Casino Baltimore to open new outdoor gaming terrace Dec. 5

Caesars’ Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, in Maryland, is two weeks away from opening two new visitor experiences, one of which will create 100 new jobs at the entertainment venue.

A 10,500-square-foot outdoor gaming terrace will open December 5 with new staff to oversee the bar area that will hold more than 150 new slot machines, about 20 table games and more. The Terrace was given approval to operate Wednesday by a city spending panel.

Horseshoe General Manager Randy Conroy said the new $15 million addition will "broaden" the casino's reach to bring in gamers who don't currently gamble, according to Baltimore Business Journal. He expects it will appeal to those who like to smoke while they play, since that will be permitted on the second-floor structure above the casino's valet parking area.

Despite its winter opening, Conroy isn't worried about cold temperatures being a deterrent. The Terrace was built to have "elaborate ceiling heaters" to keep gamers comfortable. A fan system will be used in the summers to keep the area ventilated.

The Terrace will open in conjunction with another new experience, a pilot rewards concept from Caesars Entertainment Corp. The interactive center will have a "modern Apple store" look to it, Conroy said, and is designed to showcase attractions both within Horseshoe and across Caesars' entire portfolio. The loyalty program links Caesars' 50 or so properties so that members can use points collected at Horseshoe for free meals in Baltimore or at sister properties in Las Vegas or New Orleans, for example.

Conroy said the experience center will have interactive audio and video experiences, as well as a special table that customers can interact with using their smartphones. It costs just under $1 million to construct and if successful will be scaled to other casinos around the country. The center is located upstairs next to The Terrace.

The two new spaces are among the changes taking place at one of the area's largest casinos. Conroy said the food marketplace on the first floor is also in the midst of a $1 million renovation to give it a more modern look. He said two new tenants are also being added, but declined to name them.

Looking further out, Horseshoe has plans to develop a broader entertainment-focused district along Warner Street linking M&T Bank Stadium to the casino. The goal is to bring people to the casino for activities and experiences beyond gambling. Last month, designs for the 4,000-seat Paramount concert venue were presented to a city design panel, and the $50 million project now has a location and a timeline to open summer 2021. 

A Topgolf facility is also in the works and could break ground next to Horseshoe this year. The casino also unveiled in April two Topgolf-branded "swing suites" that simulate games like golf, baseball and hockey. And a Ravens-themed bar in Horseshoe that debuted last football season also recently got an upgrade.

"We are very bullish about this market and are willing to invest into the Horseshoe Baltimore and the City of Baltimore," Conroy said.