Harrah’s in Expansion Overdrive

Announced just yesterday is a renovation of its Tunica property, and it comes on the heels of expansion announcements and openings in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

At its Tunica property, Harrah’s is investing $45 million to revamp its Grand Casino Resort Tunica. Upon completion it will get a name change to Harrah's Casino Tunica is scheduled for May 2008. The property will undergo a complete first floor reconfiguration including a new entertainment bar, new carpet, lighting, high limit salon and poker room. The changes are meant to enhance the gaming experience. Other changes as part of the property’s complete overhaul will include the refurbishment of the rooms including new beds, carpet and furniture. Rooms will be refurbished by floor with the first hotel tower to be completed by May of 2008 and the second tower to be completed by September of 2008.

"This $45 million investment at our largest property in Tunica, the third largest gaming market in the United States, is further proof that Harrah's Entertainment is committed to continue to enhance our network of branded properties around the world," said John Payne, central division president, Harrah's Entertainment.

The biggest news on the renovation is the hotel’s partnership with Food Network star, Paula Deen. Expected to open next May, the 560 seat, Paula Deen's Buffet will mark the transformation of the entire second floor into an entertainment promenade consisting of three retail outlets, three food outlets including Paula Deen's Buffet, Replays Sports Bar and Grill, and Murano's Italian Restaurant. Additional vendors and outlets are still in negotiations.

Bill Wright, General Manager for the Grand Casino noted, "We are pleased to work with Paula Deen at Harrah's Casino Tunica. We believe this will be a tremendous draw to our property and to the market since this restaurant will be second only to the Lady and Son's in Savannah, Georgia."

"I am so excited to be able to work with Harrah's on this project and be able to bring my vision and food to the all my fans and the new Harrah's Casino in Tunica, Mississippi," said Paula Deen.

Meanwhile, Harrah's is in the process of a humongous $1 billion expansion of the famed Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It will add a new hotel tower, a convention center and other amenities when it opens in late 2009. The centerpiece of the expansion is a new 665-room hotel tower dubbed the Octavius Tower. The Octavius Tower will be located adjacent to a new 263,000-square-foot meeting and convention center. Three new luxurious pool villa suites will be built along the second floor of the new tower and will overlook three new swimming pools that will rim an expanded outdoor whirlpool spa retreat, a poolside cafe and nearby garden wedding venue. The new tower will up the total room count from 3,348 to 4,013.

The gaming company is also partnering with AEG announced to build a world class sports arena just steps off the Las Vegas Strip. Set to open in 2010, the approximately 20,000-seat, privately financed, state-of-the-art arena will be situated on 10 acres directly behind the Paris and Bally’s resorts.

In Atlantic City, Harrah’s Atlantic City opened a new 172,000-square-foot glass, dome-enclosed swimming pool complex and Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. Next year its due to open a new hotel tower as well.

The Pool is a quarter-acre entertainment complex within the Harrah's property is located beneath a 90-foot-high glass dome. The Pool complex is a lush, tropical oasis featuring $1 million worth of horticulture dressing an Olympic size pool, six Jacuzzis, 12 cabanas, indoor and outdoor deck areas, as well as The Pool Bar. The Pool complex will offer guests creative water-tainment both day and night with such engaging activities as "dive-in" movies, luaus, pool-side spa treatments and live musical entertainment.

It’ part of a $550 million expansion that also included the opening of a new new 620-seat contemporary buffet and a retail promenade offering seven unique shopping outlets that opened last winter. The centerpiece of Harrah's expansion project is a new 961-room, 44-story hotel tower featuring eight super-suites and 104 suites appointed with limestone floors, freestanding showers, fireplaces, in-room theaters and plasma televisions. Upon completion in 2008, the new tower will increase Harrah's hotel capacity by nearly 60 percent, offering a total of 2,272 rooms. The new tower will also make Harrah's the tallest hotel casino in Atlantic City and the second tallest building in New Jersey.

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