All along, Rock Ohio Caesars, owners of Cleveland’s new Downtown casino, assured the city’s hospitality industry that they would do it different this time. Unlike every other gambling establishment in the world, we were to believe that Cleveland’s Horseshoe Casino would be the only one to not own their own hotel and restaurants, instead becoming “outward facing” and encouraging gaming visitors to patronize Cleveland’s Downtown amenities and stimulate the local economy.
Now we hear that Rock Ohio Caesars has purchased Forest City’s Ritz Carlton hotel property with 200 suites, plus the offices directly below which can be turned into even more hotel rooms. How convenient for gamblers who won’t have to even set foot outside the Tower City casino complex for any of their needs, after parking in the attached garage, also owned by the casino.
Let’s pretend we’re not surprised when they announce the restaurants they’ll be opening inside Tower City, saving gamblers the need to leave the compound for anything at all.