The Horseshoe Casino has been open for four months now and Rock Caesar would like to remind Cleveland that it is a participating member of the community, not simply a relentless suck on the wallets of those fond of blackjack and vintage chandeliers. Sure, it’s made some money since the doors flung open on the glitzy Higbee’s complex where Dan Gilbert prints money, but it’s given some back, because the owners are mensches.
More to the point: Selling the casino as a civic improvement that will line the pockets of everyone within a chip’s throw of Public Square is a promise that couldn’t go unfulfilled. Trickle-down wealth, like a slot machine spewing coins – that’s what the Horseshoe is about.
And so General Manager Marcus Glover went to visit Cleveland City Council on Monday to update them on just how generous, magnanimous, and mensch-y the casino owners are.
Two million dollars. That’s what the casino has given back to the city. Sort of.
Actually, it’s the grand total of perks given to gamblers for surrounding attractions: $1 million in tickets to sports events and the Rock Hall, according to the Plain Dealer; $250,000 in free meals at local restaurants; and $700,000 in hotel rooms. All grand gestures, and all meant to keep you downtown, close to the action over at Pit 2.
Glover also noted that the Horseshoe is on the verge of welcoming its 2 millionth customer. Which means a whopping $1 per visitor is being funneled back into the economy. In other words, exactly what you tipped your cocktail waitress.
This article appears in Sep 19-25, 2012.
Not impresseed…Along with THOUSANDS of other residents of Cuyahoga County
They should have fired you instead of Doug.
Have you been Downtown since the casino opened? The restaurants and businesses in the area are reporting record growth. There is an energy that has been absent for years. Also while criticizing the casino you failed to mention the incredible amount of tax dollars flowing into the city/county. This article is garbage.
I have lost some money and I have won some money at the casino. I have been downtown almost every day since the opening. I see many more people in the area. I see many more police in the area. The food in all restaurants is great. I dont see any of the bad things they said I would see if the casino opens. the only thing we need is MORE competition. Just one more casino from a different company to keep things fair.
Look, whoopdeedoo and all that stuff for the casino attracting people downtown, that’s great and all. But the fact remains that the casino stated they would be giving back a lot to the city, and what they just rattled off is pure garbage. Aaron makes these points about how the casino is helping everything around it, but other than excitement, all those things that are being mentioned are being done by consumers and residents of the city spending their dollars. The casino could be doing so much more for everyone than giving out $10 bleacher seats to the Indians and giving free rooms at the hotel to the high rollers that lose a ton of money at the casino. I’m not impressed at what they have given back to the city so far, and neither would you if you could see the books and see how much profit they have made so far. That number would send you into shock.