Caesars Entertainment says it's completed the acquisition of two central Indiana racetrack and casino facilities.
The company's $1.7 billion purchase of Indianapolis-based Centaur Gaming and its Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand horse racing casinos was earlier approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission. Hoosier Park is in Anderson. Indiana Grand is in Shelbyville.
Caesars plans to spend $50 million in property improvements and upgrades on the properties.
Nearly 100 patrons waited outside Hoosier Park expecting it would open its doors at noon Monday after closing at 2 a.m. for the acquisition, The Herald Bulletin reported. The newspaper said at least one person was overcome by heat while waiting until it opened about 2 p.m.
Hoosier Park's vice president of advertising and communications Kiersten Flint said the delay was due to final acquisition approvals.
Before the acquisitions, Caesars owned and operated 53 gambling properties throughout five countries, but only two of those involved racetracks: Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs.