Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati developers racing to finish $400M project by March 4 opening

DOWNTOWN - With only 20 days until its scheduled opening March 4, there’s plenty left to finish at the $400 million Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati.

The massive development was buzzing with activity Tuesday morning inside and out as city and casino officials celebrated the nearly $23 million in infrastructure improvements made around the project.

So what’s causing the casino’s builders the most stress?

“We’re delivering the first ground-up urban casino in the U.S. that we believe will set the standard,” said Steve Rosenthal, a partner with Rock Ohio Caesars, which is developing the casino. “The stress is making sure the customer experience is fantastic. That’s the stress.”

Even so, Rosenthal and city officials were all smiles as they stood in a “pocket park” created across from the casino’s main entrance and planted shrubs to celebrate the rebirth of the northeast corner of downtown.

“Every now and then in a city like Cincinnati, you get presented with a unique opportunity,” Mayor Mark Mallory said at the news conference about the infrastructure improvements. “And that’s what the casino coming to our community represents – a unique opportunity.”

Pendleton resident Carrie Rathod said she was “one of the skeptics a couple of years ago” when it came to the casino project.

“Now I’m thrilled with the result,” she said.

Rathod said the casino has spurred tremendous investment in nearby Pendleton, including 13 single-family homes, 170 new apartments in the old School for the Creative and Performing Arts building and 86 new affordable-housing apartments.

Rosenthal said developers expect new businesses will open near the casino once it opens, too. After all, Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati expects to draw about six million visitors a year.

Even after the casino opens, though, there will be finishing touches to complete, Rosenthal said. The 80-foot-tall signature sign, for example, likely won’t go up until after the opening, he said.

“When the cake is complete, you want to put the frosting on,” Rosenthal said. “And that’s what we’re doing now.”