1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Harrahs in Tunica to Close June 2nd

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by Taking, Mar 26, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Taking

    Taking Tourist

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2013
    Messages:
    73
    Location:
    AR
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    8
  2. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Messages:
    23,220
    Location:
    TN
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    This was a rather large operation. 3 Hotels, golf course, spa, RV resort, 2000 acres. If you have ever been there, it was not set up great. Parking was terrible, hotels required a shuttle, and a few other things. Some bad design people did not help it.


    TUNICA COUNTY, MS -
    Caesars Entertainment Corporation will close Harrah's Tunica before the summer hits.

    The property, including three hotels consisting of 1,356 rooms, will cease operations on June 2.
     
  3. annie46

    annie46 Tourist

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2009
    Messages:
    49
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    20
    wow, that is sad news !
     
  4. lithium78

    lithium78 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2013
    Messages:
    1,442
    Location:
    New Jersey
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    5
    That is really sad news. I just started planning a vacation to Memphis and I was planning to stay at Harrah's. I guess I'll have to switch plans to the Horseshoe instead. I feel terrible for all the people losing their jobs.
     
  5. jackincols

    jackincols Guest

    Stayed there once on a casino junket they were offering. Nice place, but as others have said, not well thought out before building. Having to take a shuttle to their other locations was a PITA. Not much to do there out in the boonies so no surprise they're closing the doors.
     
  6. jpw711

    jpw711 Is that your cat?

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2009
    Messages:
    10,966
    Location:
    Southwest Missouri
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    74
    Wonder who is going to buy it?

    I agree that the shuttles were a pain in the ass.

    It used to be a hopping place when it was owned by the Grand.
     
    No reason to go home yet.
  7. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2013
    Messages:
    11,356
    Location:
    Southern Maryland by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    25
    Anyone been to Vicksburg lately?:wave:
     
  8. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Messages:
    23,220
    Location:
    TN
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    I read they have been trying to sell it for a few years. Can not imagine the cost just to keep it open. Massive. It is the closest casino to Memphis by a few miles and tended to attract a lower dollar spend customer (from what I could see - no facts)


    Always hate to see people out of job, and a business to suffer.

    But - some of the problems with this property go all the way back to the original design team.

    Parking was terrible.
    The main hotels were off site with almost no food available.
    One sit down bar in a very large place.
    Food options kept moving around.
    Somebody had to pay to main so much acreage.
    Parking at hotels was terrible. Looked nice in paper, but not realistic.
    No live band, ever.
    Then some moron decided to change out the much loved sports bar/restaurant upstairs before the flood. Bad move.
    Added outside food vendors charging double points for a burger.

    There were some good people there, but just too many things not customer friendly.
     
  9. Hogman

    Hogman VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2008
    Messages:
    2,862
    Location:
    Arkansas
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    70
    I had heard that one of the hotels Terrace or Verandeh has been closed during the week for some time.
     
  10. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    21,525
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    Just read an article about the closing this morning and have a few thoughts/reactions:

    *I don't think anyone will buy it. I think the place is gong to stand vacant for a long time. Tunica revenues have been in sharp decline for years and there are simply too many casinos already there to serve that market.

    *Where will the WSOP Circuit events go? I guess Horseshoe is the obvious answer. My gf played in their new poker room last month and it was nice and large, but it still doesn't compare to the size of the ballroom theater that used to hold the Circuit events at Harrahs

    *I am wondering if this closing will drive nay business to Roadhouse. I'm sure Horseshoe will pick up the loyal CET customers, but Roadhouse has been barren for years now. Even when Horseshoe was busy, I did not see crowds walking next door to Roadhouse

    *The article I read said CET would give the Harrahs employees options to work at other Tunica properties as those jobs became available or their NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN LAS VEGAS! That last part really caught my eye. Are they going to hire them to operate the ferris wheel? What new developments in Vegas are they talking about? My guess is that it refers to some theoretical future development, but still ..... I have heard rumors over the past two months that CET wants to make a bid for Cosmo. I don't see it happening, but then again, I was surprised when they swooped in and gobbled up PHo.

    Finally, this news makes me a little sad for Tunica on the whole. Tunica was the first place I ever went to casino gamble. Years ago, the casinos were really jumping. I can remember the first time I walked into Sams Town and despite it being a dump, the tables were filled, the drinks were flowing, and everyone was having a great time. I have gone to Tunica pretty regularly over the past decade and definitely noticed the decline in numbers. Hell, GoldStrike seems to be kept afloat (at least the table games) by the same regulars that I see every time I walk through the doors (and are probably there every weekend). I don't see bright prospects for Tunica in the future. As those regulars gamble less in the future, I do not see a lot of young people playing there to eventually replace them. There is a lot more regional competition out there. I suspect we may see more contraction in the near future
     
    The plans have changed
    Post-Shopping Recovery Period
  11. Hogman

    Hogman VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Nov 5, 2008
    Messages:
    2,862
    Location:
    Arkansas
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    70
    I think you could be correct. Tunica always seems busy when I go on the weekends but I think it is dead during the week and I think that is catching up with them. Sorry to say because I really like going to Tunica.
     
  12. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    21,525
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    I actually went on a Wednesday evening last fall because I had to be in Memphis for work. The dealers I know at GS all appeared shocked to see me and the place was just dead. They had one craps table open for the entire casino and it still was not full. I think they had one or two BJ tables going in the high limit and nobody was playing in there. I remember taking a weekday trip there in 2005 and it was pretty well filled during the weekdays. I agree, that doesn't seem to be the case any more
     
    The plans have changed
    Post-Shopping Recovery Period
  13. jpw711

    jpw711 Is that your cat?

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2009
    Messages:
    10,966
    Location:
    Southwest Missouri
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    74
    I agree with this.

    Wife and I usually go during the week and like the "deadness" at the GS. Last time we went, it was the first time in a long time she had been with me on a weekend as was not happy with the volume of the music. I'll admit it was loud, if trying to talk, but I'm not going there to talk.:evillaugh

    Back when the road house was the Sheraton, the rooms were great, we stayed there all the time. Then Harrahs took over........

    Tunica has been, and will be (I hope) my go to place to get my fix between Vegas trips.
     
    No reason to go home yet.
  14. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2013
    Messages:
    11,356
    Location:
    Southern Maryland by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    25
    What about Vicksburg?:kiss:
     
  15. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    21,525
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    What about it?
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2014
    The plans have changed
    Post-Shopping Recovery Period
  16. lithium78

    lithium78 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2013
    Messages:
    1,442
    Location:
    New Jersey
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    5
    I would not be surprised if CET either completely shutters Harrah's Tunica or if they sell it to somebody with the caveat that it can't be used as a casino. That's what they did with the Atlantic Club casino in Atlantic City to reduce competition for their remaining properties. Tunica seems to be facing a lot of the same problems as AC.
     
  17. Packer Backer

    Packer Backer Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2012
    Messages:
    179
    Location:
    Cornell, CA
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    13
  18. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2013
    Messages:
    31,307
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    28
    This sucks, I liked the over abundance of cheap hotel rooms during the week mainly thanks to Harrah's Tunica.

    :evillaugh

    I also fear that the Roadhouse could be next. But the Roadhouse probably also has tiny overhead unlike Harrah's.

    Anyone would be pretty dumb to buy this without a deal. And as previously mentioned, CET may force the buyer not to open a casino in the space. Which of course means it will just sit there.
     
  19. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Messages:
    23,220
    Location:
    TN
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    Pretty sure that during part of the "Sheraton" tenure, Harrahs actually owned it but operated under that hotel name. They have been on and off over the years (we were regulars at Horseshoe multiple times a month) and spend time at RoadHouse. It was treated more like the ugly sister with resources going to the Grand/Harrahs and Horseshoe. The continued to mess with it and then did the Road House theme. Not a great idea, but worse things have happened.

    Possibly, with much of the focus on the big a$$ resort gone, they will pay attention to RoadHouse and build up their base.
     
  20. Someone

    Someone High-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2012
    Messages:
    836
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    1
    at the rate they are going CET might need to set up another partially owned subsidiary company that they can dump all of their shuttered properties in markets where they were so stupid as to own multiple properties just so they can get them off the books and dump the upkeep onto something/someone else

    put it out there with about 10% ownership for CET and then charge .25 cents per share and make it where only CET shareholders can buy shares and then dump the properties into that by selling them for something like 2-3 million each and use the rest of the money raised to keep them from rotting until the big BK comes and then they can buy them back for pennies on the dollar and raise massive amounts of debt to renovate them and repeat
     
Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.