After the Indiana Gaming Commission approved the Local Development Agreement between the city and Churchill Downs on Thursday, everything is on track for the Terre Haute Casino Resort in Indiana to open in early April.
The casino is set to have two grand openings, one on April 5, including the opening of the casino and three restaurants, and the second on May 15, when the adjacent hotel and remaining amenities will open.
Mike Rich, Terre Haute Casino Resort vice president and general manager, said the casino will open at 10:30 a.m. on April 5, with officials from Churchill Downs, local political leaders and construction workers present for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The three restaurants set to open the same day include the Four Cornered Steakhouse, the Rockwood Bar and Grill and the Soda Shoppe, which will offer a ’50s-style diner vibe.
When the hotel opens on May 15, it will offer a fireworks show at 9 p.m. Other amenities opening on May 15 include the Queen’s Beans coffee shop, the VIP Lounge, the hotel lobby bar, the Crossroads Center Bar, the 10th-floor Altitude Bar and Lounge and the Pool Bar.
“There is palpable excitement here, between those who work here and those who are excited about visiting,” Rich said, adding that it’s “impossible to say” how many people will visit on April 5, but employees expect it to be busy.
Churchill Downs Inc. of Kentucky owns the Terre Haute Casino and Resort, which changed its name in January last year. It was originally meant to be called the “Queen of Terre Haute Casino and Resort.”
