NORTH RANDALL, OH—Gaming in Ohio is just getting bigger and bigger, as the owners of the Thistledown Racino say the redeveloped former racetrack is on track to open in April.
Thistledown is owned by Rock Ohio Caesars LLC (ROC), a joint venture partnership between Detroit-based Rock Gaming LLC and Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment Corp. Rock, run by Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert, already has its fingers in the Horseshoe Casinos in Cleveland and Cincinnati.
The company has taken this racetrack, across from the failed two-million-sq.ft.-Randall Mall, and is installing more than one thousand video lottery terminals and a 57,000-sq.ft. gaming floor, as well as a number of restaurants. The gaming firm said this week that it has started the process to hire the more than 600 employees who will run the racino.
“The addition of VLTs will add a new element of excitement to Thistledown which is a property with a great tradition of live action racing,” said Rick Skinner, general manager of Thistledown Racino, in a statement. “We are thrilled to share this property with our community.”