Horseshoe Southern Indiana Recent Visit

We visited the Horseshoe in Southern Indiana this past weekend and have a few observations. One big deal was the first level is now all no smoking. This is where almost all the video poker is located. The change was effective 3/1/11 and we visited March 3 & 4 so maybe they have not had a chance to move any VP out of the area but almost half of the first level is all VP.

The excessive rain over the past few weeks has caused some of the Horseshoe grounds to flood. The first level of the parking garage was closed as well as the elevator. We stayed in the hotel and did a valet park and had no problems but could see a lot of high water from our room. There was a news story that emergency crews and divers were looking for a body because cries of help were reported near the flooded creek that flows thru the property. The Ohio River was up and very visible from the road leading to the casino. It would not take much more rain before low sections along the river are going to flood and some are now. We crossed the Ohio River near the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana Tri-State on our way home and there was a great deal of flooding in the low lands and this is upstream from the Horseshoe.

We played VP at the Envy Stage Bar most of the evening. They had a good cover band and we had a nice time most of the night. The only downside was the visitors to the bar ordering drinks were getting more and more obnoxious and drunk as the night went on. What was a nice entertainment opportunity eventually became a struggle to remain in your seat while being jostled by inebriated patrons. The majority of the drunks were younger females. The bartenders made no effort to cut off someone who was obviously over the limit but seemed to be on a quest for dollars. This was obvious after last call when smiling suits with calculators hovered over the registers behind the bar. I did notice that one young man, who was apparently trying to impress some of the young women gulpers, bought a round of some exotic crap for a group of chicks and his tab was well over $180; made me appreciate being old and married.

Horseshoe Southern Indiana closed due to high water on Thursday 3/10. As far as I know it is still closed as of today 3/13.

Got a phone message on 3/16 that they were open again, and that the hotel would open on 3/18. I think I've got those dates right.

Pete
Indy

We just satyed at the hotel from 3/17 until 3/19. It reopened at noon on 3/17. The road leading to the hotel parking garage was still covered with water when we checked in but receded during that first day. When we left the lowest level in the garage was still flooded but had gone down significantly. It was really interesting to see the extent of the flooding.

We stay there about three times a year and were really disappointed in the slot selection. They usually have a good selection of the most popular games but many have been removed. They had removed the Goldfish games which are my daughters favorite. In the past and as recently as October(our last visit)people had still been standing in line for these games. They did have Sex and the City and Lord of the Rings but that was about it. I don't know if they are waiting for new games but my daughter decided to watch the basketball games on the big screen tv rather than playing.

They did still have a good selection of video poker for every level of player. If you are a Diamond player the complimentary Friday free drinks in the lounge have been moved to Tuesday and Thursday night(Friday was the last night for this). I would assume that this is because many people were there the entire time from 6:00 until 9:00 and they think it won't be so abused on a non-weekend night. It was packed with standing room only.

Their parking garage is pretty funny when it rains. Water just pours through the ceiling in about 100 different places. You get less wet parking on the roof in the open rain then trying to navigate through the waterfalls in the lower levels.

Yeah, interested in seeing how my normal "go-to" casino in southern Indiana is faring through all of this.... the smoking ban on the 1st level sounds like a real downer, which is where I've had most of my great VP moments there. I guess I can work through the bars and machines on the other floors, and then see how things are faring on the 1st floor later in the night (esp. after last call).

I've always counted on HSI to provide the best in value (and luck), so I can't comment on the 1st floor non-smoking decree until my next visit... I'm just a little more nervous....I thought they already had a non-smoking area on the 4th floor(?)

I'll check it out this summer, although I had a great run at the Belterra about a month ago...

Pete
Indy

I got a robo-call from them last night, 5/3/11, stating that the casino and hotel was open for business again. I was not aware of any closures until I read these posts but they are dated in March not May. Did the entire complex close again because of flooding?

~Allen

I was at Belterra on Friday, April 30 and Horseshoe was closed, because there were signs welcomming 7-Star and Diamond levels eveywhere. I asked in the lounge, and they said that was the case.