Indiana: Half-full or half-empty?; ‘Priscilla’ faints

That’s the operative question after a contrariwise June in Indiana. The state’s casinos saw 17% less foot traffic, but those fewer players were spending more (up 6%). Even so, the Hoosier State’s racinos, casinos and riverboats were down 12% for the month, worse than Wall Street expected. Most of that big slurping sound came from the south end of the state, where Horseshoe Cincinnati cleaned out its Indiana competitors well and good.

Even Horseshoe Southern Indiana (left) felt the effect of competition from its Cincy sister, off 10% from last year. But the big hurt was put on Penn National Gaming‘s Hollywood Lawrenceburg, down 35%, Pinnacle Entertainment‘s Belterra (-35%) and privately owned Grand Victoria (-21%). Perhaps some of this business will trickle back once the curiosity-seekers have had their fill of Cincinnati. More likely, though, most of it is gone, never to return. There were are variety of smaller revenues up and down the state, although Cordish Gaming‘s Indiana Live managed to stay more or less flat with 2012. This is, however, one case where the statewide problem is easy to diagnose: players — or rather, the lack thereof.

rm Seafood has been promising a new “steampunk” look for its upstairs dining room, which really didn’t seem to have a clear purpose in its previous incarnation. Thrillist got an early peek (best line: “Don’t worry, you didn’t just walk into the Illuminati HQ.”) at the new-yet-old 19th century design. The fare seems to be fancy-pants comfort food, like “Inside-Out French Onion Grilled Cheese,” but that’s today’s Vegas, man. As for the overall aesthetic, who knew that one of the most godawful movies ever made — The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen — would exert such a grip on the psyches of interior decorators.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert will continue to sputter along until July 21,well shy of its intended closing date at Palazzo. Vegas was less hospitable than the Australian Outback to this transvestite musical, which is odd when you consider that drag-queen shows are reliable entertainment staples in Sin City. Hindsight being 20-20, Las Vegas Sands should have let the Smith Center have this one. The latter would never have booked it for 11 weeks. Somebody really ‘misoverestimated’ the demand for Priscilla.