Belterra Park, More Casino Competition, Opens In Hamilton County Thursday

Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 7:28 AM

By Mike Perleberg

Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center opens to the public on Thursday, May 1. Photo provided (Anderson Township, Oh.) - The tri-state casino gaming market continues to saturate with the opening of a new competitor for southeast Indiana’s riverboats. On Thursday, a new “racino” will open in Hamilton County’s Anderson Township, just off Interstate 275 near Riverbend Music Center and Coney Island. Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center welcomes the public for the first time at 7:00 p.m. Belterra Park is owned by Pinnacle Entertainment, the same company that owns Belterra Casino Restort and Spa in Switzerland County. The company purchased the former River Down Race Track in 2010. Many of the promotions at Belterra Park will tie in with the Indiana riverboat. Since then, Pinnacle Entertainment has put more than $300 million in upgrades to the facility. It now boasts 1,500 video lottery terminals, a larger track, six restaurants, and a buffet. The new casino will employ 700 people. Hiring fairs took place in March. Belterra Park becomes the sixth gaming facility in the tri-state. It is likely to further impact revenues for the three riverboats in Indiana: Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Rising Star Casino Resort in Rising Sun, and Pinnacle’s Belterra Casino. Those local casinos have already seen revenues fall 26 percent in 2013, when Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati opened. RELATED STORIES: SEI Riverboats’ Ohio Competitor Celebrates 1st Year SEI Riverboat Revenues Declined 26% In 2013 River Downs Racetrack Renamed Belterra Park Belterra Casino Owner Acquires Rival Company Belterra Casino To Make $11M In Improvements