Caesars Expands Indiana Grand Casino

Casino operator Caesars Entertainment Inc. , on Wednesday, unveiled a $ 32.5 million expansion plan for the Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, one of the company's two Indiana racetracks. The expansion project will include the addition of more slot machines and table games, as well as a WSOP-branded poker room.

Indianapolis-based Wilhelm Construction has been tasked with expanding the facility. Work will begin on April 1.

Caesars said it expects to complete the renovation and expansion by the end of the year.

Indiana Grand, located in Shelbyville, is one of only two racetracks in the state. Another, Hoosier Park in Anderson, is also owned by Caesars. Until early 2020, the two establishments were only allowed to offer slot machines and electronic table games.

A bill passed by the state general assembly in 2015 allowed two operators to add live dealer tables to their proposal in mid-2021. The gambling expansion project, signed by Governor Eric Holcomb in the spring of 2019, had given the green light to two hotels to enter board games 18 months earlier.

Both obtained the necessary final approvals to start working with live dealers by mid-December 2019 and launched them on January 1, 2020. Caesars said it will add 25,000 square feet of space to the north end of its casino floor and equip it with 100 new slot machines and 25 table games. Currently, the institution has:

• 40 craps tables,
• roulette,
• blackjack,
• Mississippi stud,
• mini baccarat,
• three card poker.

In terms of poker, the expansion project also includes the addition of a WSOP branded poker room with 20 tables.

The new facility will host tournaments that will allow participants to qualify for the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas. A 20-seat video poker bar with a 65-inch LCD will also be among the new offerings at the Indiana Grand.

Caesars will redesign some of the existing play space. The new surface parking will be built to accommodate the expected increase in demand.

The owner of the racetrack said the expansion will create over 100 new jobs and millions in tax revenue from the gaming industry for the host community and state.

Commenting on the company's plans, Caesars President and COO Anthony Carano said:

This investment in Indiana Grand is a testament to our continued commitment to the state. We are dedicated to expanding and modernizing our operations across all of our offices. We are delighted to begin several new phases of renovation and expansion in Shelbyville.

Indiana Grand Senior Vice President and CEO Mike Rich said:

The project will allow us to accommodate more guests and expand our team with more talented members. With the addition of a poker room, we will expand our existing casino offerings to include the World Series of Poker, one of the most famous and recognized gaming brands in the United States.