HAMMOND | Lauren Boukas, publicist for Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, describes the A-list talent of entertainers who will grace the property's new stage beginning next month as "the biggest of the big."
And on Tuesday, after months of speculation and anticipation, Horseshoe will officially release the show business names and concert dates for its new 2,300-seat, arena-style theater, which is part of the riverboat gaming venue's $500 million expansion.
"What Horseshoe is bringing to Northwest Indiana and to Chicagoland are the superstar headliners of Las Vegas coupled with world-class surroundings and the best in gaming," Boukas said, adding that "it doesn't hurt" that Horseshoe is owned by the same parent company as Caesar's Palace.
"The Horseshoe has always been the ultimate destination for entertainment. But with this new expansion, there's no comparison to any other property, making Horseshoe the biggest and the best in the Midwest."
Boukas described the new theater, which she said will not only be the home to headlining music legends and rock concerts but also to the hottest comedians and boxing, as "state-of-the-art in every way" while "retaining an intimate experience" for audiences.
The happenings at Horseshoe are just the latest in the region's high-stakes game that has all of the riverboats along Northwest Indiana's lakefront competing to "up the ante" in entertainment options to draw more guests.
The recent focus on entertainment as an added incentive to visit the casinos of Northwest Indiana is just one means of attracting and retaining loyal patrons as a pre-emptive move before the city of Chicago and Mayor Richard M. Daley get a green light for a Chicago casino.
In the Chicago area, Illinois riverboats such as Harrah's in Joliet and Hollywood Casino in Aurora already sponsor concerts as draws to attract gaming guests. However, since both of those properties are landlocked and neither has its own theater space, Harrah's uses the historic Rialto Square Theatre across the street to sponsor shows, while Hollywood Casino uses its river walkway neighbor the Paramount Theater.
Following the Illinois riverboats' lead, Ameristar Casino, the new operator of Resorts Casino and Hotel in East Chicago, recently launched its own initiative for the summer, offering free concerts to guests in a makeshift outdoor concert hall that will highlight top talent such as Smokey Robinson, Reba McEntire and Lionel Richie.
But even before its new ownership, the East Chicago property had been experimenting with bringing in entertainment headliners to perform in the pavilion's 400-seat ballroom, such as last summer's "Sounds of Motown" string of concerts that included performances by Dionne Warwick and The Temptations.
And neighboring gaming boat Majestic Star in Gary began using a similar ballroom stage venue approach a year earlier, in February 2006, hosting headliners like Smokey Robinson.
However, with both Resorts East Chicago and Majestic Star's earlier attempts, such ballroom concerts never were open to the public, but instead only were available by invitation for guests categorized as "high rollers," a term used to designate patrons who spend big dollars gambling in the casino.
Blue Chip Casino and Hotel in Michigan City realized the draw of top stage talent more than a decade ago, while also using ballroom space.
The property, which celebrates its 11th anniversary next month, is near completion of a $130 million expansion that will include a 22-story, 300-room hotel tower, spa and fitness center, nightclub, restaurant, and additional meeting and convention facilities.
To date, Blue Chip has managed to bring in a variety of Las Vegas headliners to its facility during the past decade, including Wayne Newton, Sister Hazel, Edwin McCain, Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, Tiffany, Vicki Lawrence, Jordan Knight, Bill Cosby, Gallagher and Pauly Shore.
"As we look back at Blue Chip's 10-year history, we marvel at its success, and we express our appreciation to our guests, and, in particular, the area residents who have supported us," said Ted Bogic, Blue Chip Casino Hotel vice president and general manager.
