May 9, 201213 yr At this point I am totally OK if the Stanley survives. But is it possible the owners can quickly remove that 1970`s facade that adorns the front of it. Including the Barbara Anne Bridal Shoppe sign that should have been taken down about 30 years ago. The fact it has never been removed tells us everything we need to know about the current slum landlords. If that comes down and the windows are replaced, the front of the building cleaned, they can continue to work on the inside. Unbelievable. Check out the pic just upthread. It's interesting that it looks like the third and fourth floor of the Stanley could be opened up to the rooftop of the Welcome Center. A fortunate coincidence? This could be a tremendous opportunity for some unique rooftop dining.
May 9, 201213 yr I'm sure someone has covered this already, but I always assumed May 14th was a Friday or Saturday. I checked the calender earlier this week and it's a Monday. Have they (Gilbert/Caesars) given any reason why they wouldn't do a Grand Opening Extravaganza on the weekend? It seems a little strange to open on a Monday. Maybe to be sure there's no bumps on the first few days? The gentleman at the gift shop told me that the casino opens to the public at 9:30PM on Monday night. He said that there will be non-public things going on Monday, but they are holding off 'til Monday night for the general public to lessen the possibility of a barrage of people, like there would be certainly on a weekend. ...I think I explained that like he did...
May 9, 201213 yr ^Sounds like the skywalk to the "Collection auto group welcome center" is a matter of when, not if You're correct. According to a Thomas Ott PD article this morning, Rock Ohio is appealing the loss of FCE's potential federal tax credit loss, due to the skyway's alteration of the historic Higbee's building facade. Wouldn't that mean that it is still an "if"...... if they are in the appeal process? What about the City? The federal tax credit loss is only one hurdle. Did the planning commission and any other necessary agency already approve the skywalk? I thought the issue was tabled last we heard.
May 9, 201213 yr ^IIRC, there is only a tax benefit for a few years, and then it expires. So, my guess is that the current management of the casino wants the skywalk. Maybe by that time the tax expires, with Phase II underway, they will reconsider.
May 9, 201213 yr ^Sounds like the skywalk to the "Collection auto group welcome center" is a matter of when, not if You're correct. According to a Thomas Ott PD article this morning, Rock Ohio is appealing the loss of FCE's potential federal tax credit loss, due to the skyway's alteration of the historic Higbee's building facade. Wouldn't that mean that it is still an "if"...... if they are in the appeal process? What about the City? The federal tax credit loss is only one hurdle. Did the planning commission and any other necessary agency already approve the skywalk? I thought the issue was tabled last we heard. I was also wondering if the city had already agreed to the skywalk; I don't remember. if not, then i doubt it will happen. The casino will have no leverage. With the building open and hundreds of millions of dollars invested, horseshoe cant threaten to walk like they did in the Columbia meetings.
May 9, 201213 yr WOW DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND IS BOOMING WITH EXCITEMENT.....Definitely the BEST DOWNTOWN IN OHIO
May 9, 201213 yr WOW DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND IS BOOMING WITH EXCITEMENT.....Definitely the BEST DOWNTOWN IN OHIO Oh lawd. Lets not start a pissing match!
May 9, 201213 yr Hi. I was in TC today. There are a TON more cops all over public square, from cars parked to patrol cars moving through to numerous cops stationed throughout the square and all over Tower City. Not glaring or being threatening, just being a presence, some chatting with other officers or giving directions to people. I snapped a couple of pictures of the signage inside Tower City.
May 9, 201213 yr Isn't there an entrance to the casino in TC? What does that look like and is there signage? Thanks RnR, that's what I was hinting at but didn't come out and ask.
May 9, 201213 yr ^Sounds like the skywalk to the "Collection auto group welcome center" is a matter of when, not if You're correct. According to a Thomas Ott PD article this morning, Rock Ohio is appealing the loss of FCE's potential federal tax credit loss, due to the skyway's alteration of the historic Higbee's building facade. Wouldn't that mean that it is still an "if"...... if they are in the appeal process? What about the City? The federal tax credit loss is only one hurdle. Did the planning commission and any other necessary agency already approve the skywalk? I thought the issue was tabled last we heard. I was also wondering if the city had already agreed to the skywalk; I don't remember. if not, then i doubt it will happen. The casino will have no leverage. With the building open and hundreds of millions of dollars invested, horseshoe cant threaten to walk like they did in the Columbia meetings. The walkway was approved by the planning commission at the time of the Columbia building decision.
May 9, 201213 yr The day in the gift shop when I learned about the 9:30PM Monday night opening...this is anecdotal but some other staff there described how the first floor corner space was likely to become a restaurant, and how there would definitely be a walkway to Higbee's maybe by year's end. Again, anecdotal information.
May 9, 201213 yr i dont think this was posted http://fox8.com/2012/05/09/photos-horseshoe-casino-sneak-peek/
May 9, 201213 yr another look: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/A-first-look-inside-the-finished-Horseshoe-Casino-Cleveland
May 9, 201213 yr Dan Gilbert interview from today's Alan Cox Show. http://www.wmms.com/player/?station=WMMS-FM&program_name=podcast&program_id=TheAlanCoxShow.xml&mid=22075619
May 10, 201213 yr Some more coverage of Dan Gilbert. http://www.bradenton.com/2012/05/09/4032885/marla-ridenour-a-michigan-man.html
May 10, 201213 yr It seems they've done a good job so far. I only wish they used a more sophisticated name. "Horseshoe" really sounds like the name one would slap onto a cow town gambling house. Other than that, I look forward to a great opening night.
May 10, 201213 yr Maybe someone posted a similar picture, but I snapped this as I was driving by the casino last night around 9:30. Its a giant horseshoe that they are clearly going to put somewhere on the outside, but i guess they could put it on the inside if they wanted? sorry for the poor quality and sorry for my unsafe driving habits. Maybe its already up by now. edit: forgot to attach picture.
May 10, 201213 yr According to that interview Dan Gilbert says one of THESE type things: Will be on the outside of the Higbee building opening night and the following few nights. I have to see that :-o
May 10, 201213 yr I believe the large horseshoe is for the top of the higbee building the original renderings show one on the public square side and one on the prospect corner
May 10, 201213 yr Here's hoping that the restaurant space noted at the corner of the parking garage ends up being the new Michael Symon-promised "smokehouse" restaurant... Or a downtown Melt... Also, listening to Gilbert now on WTAM podcast and he says the corner of the revamped Q/phase 2 casino could end up looking like Times Square (his words)
May 10, 201213 yr Here's hoping that the restaurant space noted at the corner of the parking garage ends up being the new Michael Symon-promised "smokehouse" restaurant... Or a downtown Melt... Also, listening to Gilbert now on WTAM podcast and he says the corner of the revamped Q/phase 2 casino could end up looking like Times Square (his words) Cleveland Version of a NY Time Square....:-) we could see that within 2 to 3 years...hope its sooner.
May 10, 201213 yr I heard that in Gilbert's interview yesterday as well. It reminded me of an article & video that was online a while ago. It mostly shows Phase II, but that corner does have a "Mini-Times Square" look/feel to it. Early Look at Cleveland Casino Video http://www.clevescene.com/
May 10, 201213 yr Phase II is definitely going to happen....Once Phase I open and they see the crowd its bringing in I believe it would cause them to move at a faster pace to build phase II
May 10, 201213 yr I'm excited about this casino (not because I gamble, but because of what it means for the city) but now I'm beginning to wonder if this is going to become a big piece of our identity (for better or worse)? Are people going to start thinking "casino" when they hear the word "Cleveland"? Just how big is this going to be?
May 10, 201213 yr ^Well Casino is better than 'River that caught on fire' or Mistake on the lake. LOL. But I hope nor do I think the casino will come to dominate people's perception of the city.
May 10, 201213 yr I'm excited about this casino (not because I gamble, but because of what it means for the city) but now I'm beginning to wonder if this is going to become a big piece of our identity (for better or worse)? Are people going to start thinking "casino" when they hear the word "Cleveland"? Just how big is this going to be? I dont believe the casino would become a piece of Cleveland identity...nothing more than another great attraction in our wonderful Downtown Cleveland....
May 10, 201213 yr Almost every state has some kind of gambling now. It won't become Las Vegas, but you can almost guarantee that downtown is now a 24 hour location which will really be different!
May 10, 201213 yr Nice. Relatively small improvements like this make such a difference. Looking good!
May 10, 201213 yr ^Sounds like the skywalk to the "Collection auto group welcome center" is a matter of when, not if You're correct. According to a Thomas Ott PD article this morning, Rock Ohio is appealing the loss of FCE's potential federal tax credit loss, due to the skyway's alteration of the historic Higbee's building facade. Wouldn't that mean that it is still an "if"...... if they are in the appeal process? What about the City? The federal tax credit loss is only one hurdle. Did the planning commission and any other necessary agency already approve the skywalk? I thought the issue was tabled last we heard. I was also wondering if the city had already agreed to the skywalk; I don't remember. if not, then i doubt it will happen. The casino will have no leverage. With the building open and hundreds of millions of dollars invested, horseshoe cant threaten to walk like they did in the Columbia meetings. In fairness to Gilbert, of all the casinos I've visited -- and I've been to them from LV, to AC to Detroit, Connecticut, Indiana, Carribean etc -- None have forced people to walk outside from the main parking lot. And as the article above notes, this connects with a casino's main constituency: seniors. I did hear Gilbert on a radio show, yesterday, stating they were looking at an underground connection to parking, although I wasn't sure whether it was from Phase 1 or Phase 2.
May 10, 201213 yr Phase 2 - Gilbert has permission for 5000 slot machines. 2900 to go to Phase 2 http://www.woio.com/story/18254767/one-on-one-dan-gilbert-and-phase-two-of-the-horseshoe-casino
May 10, 201213 yr Phase 2 - Gilbert has permission for 5000 slot machines. 2900 to go to Phase 2 http://www.woio.com/story/18254767/one-on-one-dan-gilbert-and-phase-two-of-the-horseshoe-casino Now we know its going to happen...The big question is WHEN? I'm sure when phase I open next and they see the crowd demand is so high ..push to begin phase II would be sooner than later
May 10, 201213 yr ^That's assuming crowd demand is high and that crowd demand is the only metric they're using to determine when to build the addition.
May 10, 201213 yr He did say that 85 million wasn't spent on the river site just to watch weeds grow. I would say, of course, he's going to build it. By doing so, it keeps the downtown Cleveland casino in the news... as casinos and other gambling places open around the state including the not-far-away Hard Rock place in northern Summit Cty. The W. Huron, W.Prospect, Ontario district with the "Q" , phase I and phase II is sort of his to create an unbelievable entertainment district (as he's calling it... a mini-Times Square).
May 11, 201213 yr Pretty cool to have a billionaire decide that he wants to build Times Square in Cleveland. I understand people being upset about the demos and the parking and the possible walkway... but I can't get over what a tremendous blessing it is for Dan Gilbert to be so interested in Cleveland. I hear recruitment ads for Quicken Loans on the radio, and they list "helping to revitalize a great American city" as a benefit of working for them. Referring to Detroit, but still. He's trying to change the perception of this region, and its cities, and he has the resources to actually do it.
May 11, 201213 yr Casino had its "soft opening" today seems to have left a nice impression on the people I talked to mainly the managers of the different rooms but nice to see a more diverse crowd walking around tower city.
Create an account or sign in to comment