Horseshoe Casino Reopens

I attended the Grand Reopening of Binion’s Horseshoe Casino in downtown Las Vegas on Thursday April first. Although the day is commonly associated with practical jokes, this was no joke to the 900 employees who were going back to work for the first time in 3 ½ months. The Horseshoe was closed January ninth when US marshals and Gaming Control Board agents shutdown the casino. The closure came from financial problems which were attributed to the poor management of previous owner Becky Binion Behnen, daughter of Benny Binion, founder of the Horseshoe. The Horseshoe was purchased by Harrah’s mainly for the purpose of retaining the Horseshoe name and the World Series of Poker. The casino was then sold to West Virginia-based MTR Gaming. Harrah’s will run the casino for at least one year. More than a thousand players were lined up outside waiting for the opening as Showgirls from the Rio and Harrah’s pranced around the stage and the Philadelphia Boys Choir sang. Mayor Oscar Goodman spoke and said the reopening of the Horseshoe was, “Was critical to the success of the future of Las Vegas. Harrah’s Western Division President Tom Jenkins cut the ribbon and the crowd of customers flocked inside for free cake and champagne. Within an hour of the ribbon cutting ceremony the tables and seats at the slot machines were filled with players and one would never imagine that the casino had ever been closed. The casino had received a cosmetic makeover and was cleaned for the reopening but it still retained the atmosphere of the old Horseshoe. In September Harrah’s purchased Horseshoe Gaming Holding Corp. for $1.45 billion from Behnen's brother, Jack Binion. Now with the purchase of the Las Vegas property they have complete ownership of the Horseshoe name. There is word that they will eventually build a new casino that will be named the Horseshoe possibly on or near the Las Vegas Strip. For now however the Binion’s Horseshoe is open and downtown Las Vegas has one of it’s Landmarks back again.