HAMMOND | The collapse of one of the two enclosed walkways that will connect the Horseshoe Casino pavilion to its new gaming boat should not affect the Aug. 8 opening of the almost $500 million casino. (Graphic)
"Horseshoe Casino does not anticipate this will impede the opening," a statement provided by Horseshoe says.
Mike Summers, president and business agent for Iron Workers Local 395, said accident potentially could "put us behind."
"Each entrance way has its own barge so there's a possibility this won't slow down the grand opening," Summers said. "We possibly could dismantle the (damaged) walkway, bring the (casino) barge closer in by 8 feet, and use the other walkway. If it can be done, we'll do it. "
More than 700 tradesmens have been working around the clock daily for the last several months readying the new Horseshoe casino for the opening.
Rick Mazer, regional president of Harrah's Entertainment Inc. and general manager of Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, said Thursday that the construction on the "phenomenal project" was almost complete. Work, however, was interrupted by the accident Tuesday.
The $485 million vessel is six times the size of the old riverboat that closed Monday afternoon. When it reopens, the casino's 108,000-square-foot gambling floor will house double the number of slot machines and table games.
It's general admission floor can fit up to 2,400 people. And the casino's upper floor, 3,000-seat entertainment venue is scheduled to host Bette Midler as its inaugural act with Jay Leno to follow a few weeks afterwards.
"It's inside is better than its outside," he said Thursday, adding than it's as nice as or nicer than any casino property in Las Vegas. "I can think of only two in the country that may be nicer."
The amount of gold leaf used to embellish the ceiling and cashier cages is enough to affect gold markets, Mazer said.
The six barges that comprise the 320 feet by 564 feet base of the casino were constructed by shipyards in Texas, Louisiana and southern Indiana and started arriving at the Hammond site in the spring of 2007. Since then the casino has provided construction trade jobs to more than 1,000 workers, Mazer has said.
