My core critique of the casino project is its form and its design all conveys the intent of exclusivity. Road improvements along Reading and Gilbert are meant to enable more cars to get in and out of the casino. There's a reason why these improvements stop there. There is no intent to interact with the area surrounding the casino because there its not the intent of the casino to get people to "spend the day downtown." I'm not saying that people will not explore but what I am saying is that the amount of people that do will be significantly in the minority.

 

And the space in front of the casino that will be a stage and park is a joke. There's a huge difference in feeling between seeing a band at Washington Park next to Music Hall and seeing a band play in front of the casino next to the jail. This is what LIG is talking about. Don't believe me? Go down there and stand in both places. I'd love to know which environment feels beter to the layperson.

Is there any plan in place to soften or mute the jail's harsh appearance? Maybe a giant billboard draped down the side of the jail building (like the big one that greets cars entering downtown from East Eighth Street) or ivy growing up the walls? Maybe even some Times Square-type video advertising boards?

 

I know the casino chose that location with full knowledge of the jail, but I can't imagine they're too excited on it being the first thing you see when you walk out the main entrance, or while you're sitting on the patio at Margaritaville.

 

And the space in front of the casino that will be a stage and park is a joke. There's a huge difference in feeling between seeing a band at Washington Park next to Music Hall and seeing a band play in front of the casino next to the jail. This is what LIG is talking about. Don't believe me? Go down there and stand in both places. I'd love to know which environment feels beter to the layperson.

 

I agree that Wash Park feels better, but one nice thing about it (in spite of numerous negatives) is that hopefully it could be opened up as another potential Midpoint venue as the festival grows.

Is there any plan in place to soften or mute the jail's harsh appearance? Maybe a giant billboard draped down the side of the jail building (like the big one that greets cars entering downtown from East Eighth Street) or ivy growing up the walls? Maybe even some Times Square-type video advertising boards?

 

I have heard people talking about painting a mural of convicts escaping via tied together bedsheets.  I'm sure it's just a rumor, but I LOVE, LOVE the idea.

Cincinnati has a good convention business plus the various sporting and cultural events already going on. The casino simply offers another thing to do. I'd bet a ton of Steelers fans will spend time at the casino around watch their team beat the Bengals, Cubs watching their team lose to the Reds. I'd bet the Cyclone fanbase and casino attendees are a pretty similar group. Convention folks especially will literally have to travel through downtown to the casino.

 

Could the design be more urban, sure. Will it help the surrounding neighborhoods, probably a wash to mildly positive. Does it make Cincinnati a slightly more attractive place for a long weekend trip (which is most Ohio tourism), damn skippy.

I'd bet the Cyclone fanbase and casino attendees are a pretty similar group.

 

I find this statement really funny.

 

My whole point is that it won't be more exciting or running laps around Louisville's Horseshoe as they both offer similar amenities.  That's like me saying Cincinnatians would much rather go to Columbus' newly opened Hollywood Casino over the one in Indiana off I-275 because it's much more exciting, larger, blah blah.

 

Again, the casino itself is not a selling point to most Louisvillians.  The city is.

 

Did you bother to read this post?

 

The excitement Horseshoe Cincinnati will offer runs laps around the New Albany locale.  What I said in my previous post still stands.  Mt. Adams, downtown, OTR and the riverfront makes weekend planning an easy choice if you're someone from Louisville and you really want to gamble and have a good time doing other things.

 

The big argument going on throughout this thread is in regard to the casino's surroundings and how important it is for maximizing an investment.  Having so many amenities so close is an out-of-towner's dream.

The casino is requesting a zoning variance in order to construct an 80 foot, tacky sign. 

 

http://www.urbancincy.com/2012/10/horseshoe-casino-cincinnati-requesting-80-foot-sign/

And that last comment is all lies!!!  LIES!!!

Again, I'm not sure what people were expecting with a casino? Gaudy signs are exactly what they do.

 

Downtown Cleveland has a massive four-story neon guitar at Tower City in full view of Jacobs Field and the arena. I don't think anyone has ever complained about that. Some might argue that it adds some life to that part of downtown.

 

If sense has any power over money, this will never be approved.

Will be the worst thing ever.

This seems totally unnecessary.  I'm certain there will be expressway exit signs already, and tons of travelers have GPS, at least in their phones. 

We have zoning for a reason.  It should be fairly simple.  Just tell them no, any sign must comply with zoning ordinances.  Problem solved. 

 

Also, I drove by the casino this morning and it looks pretty good.  Reading in general looks a lot better than it did a year ago.  The Gilbert side not so much. 

We have zoning for a reason.  It should be fairly simple.  Just tell them no, any sign must comply with zoning ordinances.  Problem solved. 

 

Also, I drove by the casino this morning and it looks pretty good.  Reading in general looks a lot better than it did a year ago.  The Gilbert side not so much. 

 

Yeah, it is starting to come together and isn't as bad as I expected, which isn't saying a whole lot, but it could be worse.  The view from Eggleston almost made me sick, though.  Hopefully there will be some landscaping with fast growing trees there.  The parking garage is massive.

If the hotel is built on the south side it will break up the blank wall. 

Yes going down 71 S that huge yellow/cream colored wall is hideous.  I kept waiting for them to put some other outer layer on it but i dont think that is going to happen.

"A surgeon can always bury his mistakes. The best an architect can do is plant ivy."

-- Frank Lloyd Wright

The best view of the casino is from Central Pkwy/Vine facing East.  It looks really great book ending the Parkway.

Currently, Philly is the biggest city in the US that has legalized gambling.  And the City received another license.  This developer wants to do this: http://philly.curbed.com/archives/2012/10/24/bart-blatstein-unveils-new-casino-the-provence.php

 

Watch the video.  This is immediately north of Center City.  But it will be interesting to see how this turns out in comparison to Cincinnati's and perhaps give the people in this thread an example of an urban casino so you all can stop saying "What were you expecting?" 

 

I am definitely skeptical of this so far.  The rooftop village idea....not into it. 

Currently, Philly is the biggest city in the US that has legalized gambling.  And the City received another license.  This developer wants to do this: http://philly.curbed.com/archives/2012/10/24/bart-blatstein-unveils-new-casino-the-provence.php

 

Watch the video.  This is immediately north of Center City.  But it will be interesting to see how this turns out in comparison to Cincinnati's and perhaps give the people in this thread an example of an urban casino so you all can stop saying "What were you expecting?" 

 

I am definitely skeptical of this so far.  The rooftop village idea....not into it. 

 

"How do you impress a city that took and idea and turned it into a country?"  LMAO...I really hope the average Philadelphian doesn't think that. 

 

The casino looks almost fascist until you throw the buildings on top.  It seems typically tacky.  I like that they're filling out the block though.

More renderings here: http://philly.curbed.com/archives/2012/10/25/renderings-of-blatsteins-proposed-casino-complex.php#5089450e85216d689c000d7a

 

The Inquirer building is already there, so really this is just 1 whole block of new construction and the re-use of the old Inquirer building.  And that park - it is a highway ramp right now and will stay that way. 

I think Philadelphia's approach is much more interesting than Horseshoe. I'd guess the architecture on top will probably look cheesy up close, like Disney World or Vegas, but it may look fine from a distance. I think the park could be better. I'm not sure why a park that small needs two large, looped concrete roads going through it. For me cars are the antithesis of green space.

The looped roads already exist. They're entry/exit ramps to  I-676.

Construction crews should be wrapping up the Reading Road reconfiguration soon. Traffic islands are being installed and tree planting along the south sidewalks.

 

Also, construction of the Justice Center camouflage has started. I still have yet to see what exactly the plan is here...

 

 

The new Reading Road, and the entire length of the casino's property facing Reading is an abomination.  Just saying. 

Horseshoe Cincinnati Casino adding event plaza

Business Courier by Tom Demeropolis

 

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati released details of its urban event plaza.

 

The plaza is located next to the front entrance of the casino between Reading Road, Court Street and Eggleston Avenue. The one-acre spot includes landscape elements and in-ground lighting features.

 

The space will be used to host entertainment, festivals and special events.

 

Cont

Tragic news: Jimmy Buffett is selling off his share of the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain before Cincinnati's even has a chance to open.

I could be wrong, but I thought there was a difference between "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and "Margaritiaville" as far as restaurants go?

 

My Jimmy Buffet knowledge is not a strong point.

There is a difference, per Wikipedia. Paradise Restaurants Group LLC (Cheeseburger in Paradise) and Margaritaville Holdings LLC (Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville) are both subsidiaries of  Cheeseburger Holding Company, LLC.

Eastgate had a Cheeseburger in Paradise before it was demolished for the Ohio 32 widening. The casino is/was supposed to have a Margaritaville.

There are some great new aerial shots of the casino at: http://www.downtownity.com/2012/11/cincinnatis-horseshoe-casino.html

 

Eastgate had a Cheeseburger in Paradise before it was demolished for the Ohio 32 widening. The casino is/was supposed to have a Margaritaville.

 

Ah, I stand corrected. Jimmy Buffett's restaurant presence in Cincinnati is safe for now.

^ That's a great shot but an ugly picture with the casino there.  Doesn't fit in to the surrounding area whatsoever.  I love the picture of Pendleton with the exception of that one parking lot.

woof.  Are there any sustainable features, green roofs, blue roofs, pervious pavings, rain cisterns, anything stormwater/site related they're doing for this? 

 

 

I could be wrong, but I thought there was a difference between "Cheeseburger in Paradise" and "Margaritiaville" as far as restaurants go?

 

My Jimmy Buffet knowledge is not a strong point.

 

My understanding too.

That is a tremendous amount of surface parking in the image above.  I'm more concerned about those lots disappearing and how long that will take.

^ agreed. Arnold S Levine owns much of the parking north of the Casino.

There are some great new aerial shots of the casino at: http://www.downtownity.com/2012/11/cincinnatis-horseshoe-casino.html

 

 

 

 

Beautiful - thanks for sharing...

 

 

...did atlas just "woof"???

I find the casino's shape very hard to picture when you're on the ground.  I am familiar with how newer casinos are purposefully disorienting on the inside, but I have to wonder if they made this thing purposefully disorienting on the outside. 

It vaguely reminds me of the Columbus Convention Center from above...with a buffet.

I think the buffet is the only thing that the casino is bringing to downtown that it lacked and could have used.

 

*buffets aren't my thing

I see a lot of people don't like the design of this casino. But its better than the other casino's in Ohio

There are some great new aerial shots of the casino at: http://www.downtownity.com/2012/11/cincinnatis-horseshoe-casino.html

 

 

 

 

Beautiful - thanks for sharing...

 

 

...did atlas just "woof"???

 

Yea.  Woof!  As in.  What a dog!  Woof. 

woof.  Are there any sustainable features, green roofs, blue roofs, pervious pavings, rain cisterns, anything stormwater/site related they're doing for this? 

 

 

 

"Green" is overrated. It may not be the prettiest thing but it beats the parking lot

I think the buffet is the only thing that the casino is bringing to downtown that it lacked and could have used.

 

*buffets aren't my thing

 

Yea, downtown really couldn't use a 24-hour presence. Or a destination on what, for decades, had been a hideously expansive surface parking lot. Or a tourist-friendly restaurant that's not on The Banks like Margaritaville.

Has anyone seen a rendering or map that shows where the hotel is eventually going to go?

I think the buffet is the only thing that the casino is bringing to downtown that it lacked and could have used.

 

*buffets aren't my thing

 

Yea, downtown really couldn't use a 24-hour presence. Or a destination on what, for decades, had been a hideously expansive surface parking lot. Or a tourist-friendly restaurant that's not on The Banks like Margaritaville.

 

i meant aside from the obvious things that come with a casino (gambling).

 

Also - Jimmy Buffett just sold his stake in the Cheeseburger in Paradise chain.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/jimmy-buffett-sells-cheeseburger-paradise-restaurant_n_2207946.html

woof.  Are there any sustainable features, green roofs, blue roofs, pervious pavings, rain cisterns, anything stormwater/site related they're doing for this? 

 

 

 

"Green" is overrated. It may not be the prettiest thing but it beats the parking lot

 

Why is green overrated?

I think the buffet is the only thing that the casino is bringing to downtown that it lacked and could have used.

 

*buffets aren't my thing

 

Yea, downtown really couldn't use a 24-hour presence. Or a destination on what, for decades, had been a hideously expansive surface parking lot. Or a tourist-friendly restaurant that's not on The Banks like Margaritaville.

 

i meant aside from the obvious things that come with a casino (gambling).

 

Also - Jimmy Buffett just sold his stake in the Cheeseburger in Paradise chain.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/29/jimmy-buffett-sells-cheeseburger-paradise-restaurant_n_2207946.html

 

Cheeseburger in Paradise is not the same thing as Margaritaville (as I thought was made clear upthread).  Hasn't anyone here been to Vegas before and walked past the Margaritaville on the Strip? It might be a little cheesy with the over sized drinks and tropical theme, but it's fun and perfect for the casino, IMO.  I would never go there to eat, but I could definitely see myself going there for drinks every so often.