Horseshoe host sued by Cordish over high rollers
Long lines of gamblers jostled for position on August 26 to be the first to glimpse Maryland’s fifth casino, as the $442 million Horseshoe Casino Baltimore staged a star-studded grand opening celebration.
The opening night festivities began with a special gathering for dignitaries in the casino’s outdoor entertainment plaza and included remarks from Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. There were vertical dance performances by Bandaloop, pyrotechnics and music.
O’Malley and other dignitaries gathered outdoors to pull a giant slot machine handle to launch fireworks and unfurl banners depicting major events in Baltimore history.
“Baltimore. Its your lucky day,” each of the five banners read.
“I wish everyone good luck this evening,” O’Malley said. He credited owner Caesars Entertainment Corp. “for doing it on time and getting it done.”
“Horseshoe brings the promise of a better Baltimore,” said Rawlings-Blake.
Opening night proved to be a great draw for the gaming entertainment complex as more than 15,000 guests clamored to be among the first to experience the new casino. As guests explored the casino’s floor, they were treated to special surprise performances throughout the night at 14forty, a 24-hour, multi-level entertainment venue. Pop star Iggy Azalea, Motown star Gladys Knight and a DJ Pauly D were among the surprise performers. Celebrity chefs Guy Fieri, Aaron Sanchez, John Besh and Duff Goldman also were on hand to greet guests at the casino’s three restaurants.
Horseshoe Baltimore’s 122,000-square-foot gaming floor includes more than 2,500 slots, 100 table games, a World Series of Poker poker room and a variety of nightlife options. More than half of the 1,700 employees of Horseshoe are from the greater Baltimore area. “In order for this to really work, Baltimore city residents have to benefit by getting these jobs,” said Rawlings-Blake at the opening news conference.
Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is designed to extend the city’s tourism district south from the famed Inner Harbor and neighboring sports venues M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The casino development is fully integrated within the surrounding area and will maximize connectivity with existing hospitality operators as well as other cultural and nightlife attractions.
Baltimore’s deal with Horseshoe requires the casino to pay the city at least $11 million in lease and profit-sharing agreements and property taxes during the first year.
Horseshoe is the state’s second-largest casino, behind Maryland Live!, which is nearby in the Baltimore suburb of Hanover. It is the first Maryland casino to offer an outdoor gaming area, where smoking is allowed. The casino is not expected to siphon a great deal of business from the Hanover casino, and no more new competition will appear until MGM Inner Harbor opens in nearby Fort Washington in 2016.
The casino received more than 50,000 visitors during Labor Day weekend. Chad Barnhill, the casino’s general manager, told the Baltimore Business Journal that business levels during the first week were comparable to other recent Horseshoe openings, in Cleveland and Cincinnati.
“It’s in line with what we forecasted,” he said. “We were very excited with the volumes of people who came through to see the facility.”
Meanwhile, a day before the grand opening, Maryland Live! filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that Horseshoe host Helenga Wong, who was a VIP casino host at Maryland Live!, stole confidential information from the Cordish-owned casino, including a list of high rollers, and used it to lure gamblers to the Horseshoe.
According to court documents, Wong sent an email to more than 1,000 high-end customers of Maryland Live! on August 20, urging them to come to the Horseshoe’s grand opening, and offering to set up accommodations and private gambling—ending the email, “PS: Please do not repeat or show this email to any of Maryland Live!’s personnel. This is a confidential email between us.
A U.S. district judge has issued a temporary restraining order against Wong. Maryland Live! claims Wong’s actions cost the casino at least $75,000 and could cause “irreparable harm” in the long run.
