Ameristar Casino in East Chicago opened its new high-limit slots and table games room Thursday with speeches, wine, hours d’oeuvres and some Las Vegas style glitter.
The $6 million, 15,000-square-foot room is located in the pavilion space formerly occupied by a burger restaurant, making Ameristar the first Northwest Indiana casino to take advantage of a 2015 Indiana law allowing the state’s casinos to operate some of their gaming operations on land.
“This exceeded our expectations,” the casino’s Vice President and general manager, Matthew Schuffert, told a group of about 150 invited guests.
“For some, this will maximize their experience here. The feedback has been very positive,” Schuffert said.
Anthony Sanfilippo, president and CEO of Pinnacle Entertainment, Ameristar’s parent company, said being on land allows the casino opportunities structurally that it couldn’t take advantage of while on a vessel.
“We can now move walls and ceilings,” Sanfilippo said.
Schuffert said previously, guests would have to go to the third level of the casino for high-limit slots and the second floor for high-limit table games.
He said new slot machines will be moved to the former table games spot and video poker machines will be moved to the space previously occupied by high-limit slots. The new high-limit room is accessed by a private entrance and includes 95 slot machines with new bases and chairs, 14 tables games, including 12 blackjack and two baccarat tables, two food stations and a full bar.
Jamie Williams, a spokeswoman for the East Chicago casino, said a typical minimum bet for blackjack in the high limits room is $25, with the maximum at $10,000. She said gamers can bet up to $25,000 in baccarat.
Suzie Hjertquist, of Schererville, was headed toward a slot machine as a staff member carrying a tray of cigars and cigarettes and some women dressed in Vegas style costumes walked by.
“This is beautiful. This is like being in Vegas,” Hjertquist, said.
She said she planned to try everything the new room offers, including slots and table games.
“When I’m here, I’m here for hours,” she said, adding she’s been pretty lucky on average.
East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland called Ameristar a good partner for the city.
“As they grow, we grow,” Copeland said, pointing out the city’s own major improvements done to its lakefront and marina.
Sara Gonso Tate, executive director of the Indiana Gaming Commission, said Ameristar is the second casino in the state to move part of its operations to land. Tropicana Casino in Evansville made the move last year.
“Any time our casinos make investments like this, I’m thrilled,” Gonso Tait said.
The new high limits room is only one step in planned renovations at Ameristar. A top-to-bottom, $15 million renovation of the four-level casino gaming floor is underway, starting with the first level, and is expected to be completed in October, casino officials announced.
Schuffert said new carpeting, wall treatments and game chairs will be installed and the restrooms will be renovated.
“We’ll only close one level at a time. We’ll do it in stages,” Schuffert said.