Indiana Downs LLC opened Phase 1 of its Indiana Live! Casino at the Indiana Downs horse track in Shelbyville last month. The temporary, 70,000-square-foot racino—said to be the world’s largest “sprung” structure—is some 25 miles southeast of Indianapolis on Interstate 74, a prime link to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Built and managed by the Cordish Company, a Baltimore-based developer, Indiana Live! is the second of two racinos allowed by Indiana law. The other, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, opened June 2 in Anderson, about 30 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

The initial Indiana Downs operation includes a Cafe Live by Wolfgang Puck, also located for now near the track’s backstretch. Construction continues on 233,000 square feet of permanent facilities connected to the grandstand that are due to open in January with 570 workers. They include three restaurants, two bars, live entertainment areas and a 5,000-seat outdoor concert space.

Indiana Downs will have the full legal complement of 2,000 slots in the permanent Indiana Live! casino. Hoosier Park’s casino opened with nearly all 2,000 machines running in the fully completed 92,000 square feet. Initial state licenses for the slots cost each operator a quarter-billion dollars.

Former Atlantic City executive Dennis Gomes is the principal behind the Cordish gaming operations for the new racino.

By Casino Connection Staff

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