Caesars gets Indiana OK for takeover

Caesars Entertainment Corp is a step closer to completing a $1.7 billion takeover of two casinos in Indiana.

The Las Vegas-based company received regulatory approval Thursday from the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and the Indiana Gaming Commission to take over Centura Holdings, Caesars said in a statement.

Centaur owns Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park, which receive more than 6.5 million visitors a year and have more than 1.1 million loyalty club members, according to Caesars. The casinos serve the Indianapolis and central Indiana areas.

Caesars expects to complete the takeover next month, increasing its global presence to 49 locations. The company owns two casinos in Indiana, one serving the Chicago area and the other serving southern Indiana.

“This acquisition represents an outstanding opportunity to expand our footprint in a growing region while also leveraging our Total Rewards loyalty network to benefit the customers of Indiana Grand and Hoosier Park, Caesars CEO Mark Frissora said.

Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand offer live and simulcast horse racing and feature more than 2,000 slots and electronic table games.

Contact Todd Prince at 702-3830386 or tprince@reviewjournal.com. Follow @toddprincetv on Twitter.