Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians Takes Ownership Of Caesars Southern Indiana

Caesars Southern Indiana Now Owned by Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians

Posted on August 25, 2021

The official new owner of Caesars Southern Indiana has been confirmed.

The casino previously owned by Caesars has been purchased by The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) for $250 million.

At its recent meeting, the Indiana Gaming Commission approved the deal.

Caesars Southern Indiana will continue to uphold the Caesars brand.

Even though Caesars no longer owns the casino, the company’s brand will continue to be prominently displayed at the property.

This is Indiana’s first time, but it’s not a new experience for the Tribe.

The EBCI owns two other casinos in North Carolina, both of which are also operating under the Caesars brand.

The recently-sold Tropicana Evansville will be taking a different route than that.

The CEO of EBCI Holdings, R. Scott Barber, states that retaining the Caesars brand was an obvious choice for the casino.

“We are thrilled to proceed with Caesars and broaden our already prosperous portfolio. The property is not only aesthetically pleasing and recently upgraded, but Caesars also holds a prominent legacy in the southern Indiana community. It’s an honor for us to carry on this legacy while we strive to enhance Caesars’ global standard guest experience.”

It’s also great news for Caesars Southern’s workers that the Tribe is maintaining a close relationship with Caesars. The casino will retain all its employees, ensuring that there will be no job cuts during the transition.

Gamblers will also experience a smooth transition with the change in ownership.

Maintaining the Caesars brand entails preserving the Caesars Rewards program. Frequent visitors to the property will observe minimal changes during their visits.

Also, the casino sale fulfills a significant requirement for Caesars in Indiana.

Caesars-Eldorado merger finally complete

The sale of Caesars Southern was the last remaining obligation from Eldorado’s merger with Caesars.

Following the merger, the new Caesars Entertainment now has the following casinos in Indiana:

  • Indiana Grand
  • Harrah’s Hoosier Park
  • Horseshoe Hammond
  • Tropicana Evansville
  • Caesars Southern Indiana

The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) believed that one company owning too many properties could lead to a monopoly. As a result, it mandated Caesars to sell three of its casinos within the state, reflecting the IGC’s concern over the potential monopoly.

Before the IGC gave its approval, it required that all states where Caesars operates sign off on the merger and that casino selloffs be part of the process.

Caesars had already disposed of Tropicana Evansville and intended to do the same with Horseshoe Hammond. However, due to difficulties in finding a buyer, the IGC had to change its decision on the Hammond sale.

The company has finally met all of its requirements with the change of hands of Tropicana and Caesars Southern.

The merger process in Indiana has been completed, and it’s highly unlikely that Caesars will sell any more of its assets in the state in the near future.

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Jake Garza

Jake Garza, a US Gambling Industry Analyst for Catena Media, is an expert in Midwest sports betting and casino content. Before his transition into the legal gambling industry, he was a professional sports writer, covering teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Indiana Pacers. Currently, Garza holds the position of Managing Editor for PlayIndiana and PlayOhio, having previously worked with other renowned brands such as PlayIllinois and PlayMichigan. Since 2019, he has been providing extensive coverage of the gambling industry, working alongside a team of journalists to report on the legal U.S. gambling industry.

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