Horseshoe Casino celebrates with grand opening

There was no shortage of stars on the red carpet to help celebrate the Grand Opening of the new Horseshoe Casino. American Pie actress Tara Reid, the "Real Housewives of NYC" stars Bethenney Frankel and Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, "Dancing With The Stars" darling Cheryl Burke, John Scurti of "Rescue Me," "Damages" star Noah Bean, "Jericho" star Esai Morales, and professional poker player Phil Gordon were all on-hand to check out the performances by both Bette Midler and Josh Kelley.

Oprah's private chef/celebrity chef Art Smith was also in attendance and exclaimed, "This is the biggest party in the Midwest!"

Rick Mazer, Indiana Regional President and General Manager, Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., added, "It all came together so nicely and we are so excited this day has arrived. Everyone is having a great time."

Guests also were entertained throughout the evening by sounds of celebrity deejay, DJ Evalicious (DJ Eve), performances by Canadian Sophie Milman, Chicago Catz, String Theory and more. After Bette Midler and Josh Kelley completed their respective performances, guests checked out the uber-sleek Seven Stars VIP lounge.

The grand opening festivities continued on Saturday, August 9, where The Venue was proud to host the first local appearance in eight years by hometown heroes The Smashing Pumpkins. The Smashing Pumpkins originated in Chicago in 1988, creating a diverse, densely layered, and guitar heavy sound led by frontman Billy Corgan. During the 1990s, the band was one of the most critically acclaimed bands in the United States, where they sold approximately 18.25 million albums. The performance at The Venue marks The Smashing Pumpkins' first show in Chicago since the reunion.

After The Smashing Pumpkins concert, select guests headed to see Roger Taylor of Duran Duran spinning at the after party in Horseshoe's Seven Stars lounge which is believed to be his first deejay appearance in the United States.

The excitement continues at The Venue after the grand opening weekend with a lineup featuring Grammy and three-time Tony Award winning artist Liza Minnelli on August 30; cultural icon Billy Idol on August 16, having just released a greatest hits anthology and embarking on his first extensive concert tour in the US since 2005; the recently reunited Stone Temple Pilots on August 14, Sarah Silverman on August 29, Alicia Keys on September 13 and more.

About the new Horseshoe Casino:

Boasting more than 350,000 square feet, the new Horseshoe Casino features 108,000 square feet of gambling space, which is comparable to the floor at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and equivalent to the size of six football fields.

Horseshoe's major expansion project which offers world-class amenities and unbelievable luxury completely transformed its coveted location along Northwest Indiana's lakefront and capitalizes on its 20 minute proximity to Chicago.

Poker Room

Poker and Horseshoe go hand in hand. The original gambling tournament -- the World Series of Poker -- was born at the Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas. Horseshoe Casino has brought that same world-class action to Chicagoland by creating the Midwest's largest poker room, which is a World Series of Poker Circuit Event location.

In a separate room off the main casino floor, the poker room attracts players of all skill levels to compete in daily, weekly, and marquee tournaments throughout each year. The poker room features:

-- A spacious layout with 34 tables

-- World Series of Poker Circuit Events

-- Benny's Back Room, a private poker area named for the founder of the original Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas, Benny Binion

-- Craps No More, Blackjack Switch with Supermatch Option, Flop Poker, Let it Ride Bonus with Three-Card Option, and Mississippi Stud

-- Lucky Ladies Blackjack Side Bet

-- 12-payer Big Baccarat

-- 12-player Rapid Roulette

-- 2 Poker Tek electronic poker tables

-- High-Limit Table Room with a Three Card Poker game, a 9-player Mini Baccarat Game, 5-spot Blackjack tables, two private salons

-- All tables will have LCDs with video

Asian Gaming Area

In the casino and in the dining room, Horseshoe has always boasted a certain Asian flair. The new Asian Gaming Area combines great action, great food, and Horseshoe-style luxury featuring:

-- 3 Pai Gow Tiles tables

-- 3 Pai Gow Poker tables

-- 1 six-player Blackjack table

-- 1 12-player Big Baccarat table

-- 2 handheld Mini Baccarat tables

-- Semi-private room with 5 Mini-Baccarat tables -- 2 private rooms with Mini-Baccarat and lounge area -- All tables will have LCDs with video -- Noodle Bar serving traditional favorites every day

Slots

The new Horseshoe will host more than 3,200 slots, featuring:

-- The latest slot technology and newest platforms

-- All-new interactive slot video displays with downloadable credits

-- Over 1,000 progressives (stand-alone and linked)

-- New Video Poker Area

-- 300 machines, including bar tops

-- High-Limit Slot Room

-- 125 machines in denominations from $1 to $1,000

-- Video poker in denominations from $1 to $100

-- Live keno area with 20 chairs

Dining

With its focus on upscale dining, Horseshoe will feature a 650-seat Village Square Buffet, with seven unique food stations -- Asian, Seafood, American, Latin, Italian, Salad, and dessert. Each station has its own kitchen. The casino will also feature the following dining and nightlife options:

-- Jack Binion's Steak House -- Horseshoe Casino's signature fine dining establishment, with seating for 170 and a bar that can accommodate 26

-- Village Square Buffet -- All-you-can-imagine favorites with expanded seating for 650

-- Push -- Horseshoe Casino's new feature bar

-- Vintage 51 -- A new wine and micro-brew bar

-- Fai Choi Asian Cuisine -- Fresh, innovative, and always delicious

-- Noodle Bar -- Part of the Asian Gaming Area