Lawrenceburg, Hollywood Casino upping game against Horseshoe Casino

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. - Hollywood Casino and the city of Lawrenceburg hope to gain a competitive edge against Cincinnati’s Horseshoe Casino in early 2014.

Construction is underway on a new convention center in Lawrenceburg that is a partnership between the city and casino. Both organizations hope the project draws a more varied crowd to the Indiana town.

“This venue will make the casino more appealing to organizations that would not normally go to a casino,” Lawrenceburg Redevelopment Director Grant Hughes said. 

The $50 million dollar project being built four blocks from Hollywood Casino will comfortably seat 1,500 people and have 168 hotel rooms.

Hughes said the city is expecting to see an initial double-digit percentage drop in revenue from the casino once the Cincinnati casino opens, but hopes the convention center the city is paying for will recoup some of that income.

In addition to construction of the convention center that had its ground breaking in 2011, the Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce President Michael Rozow Jr. said his office is looking to spend more than $350K in advertising to entice people to game at Hollywood once Horseshoe is open.

The convention center is set to open in April 2014.