[Cubswin]

LAS VEGAS, Nov 17, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (HET) announced plans to rebrand Bluffs Run Casino under the Horseshoe brand as part of an $85 million renovation and expansion of the Iowa property.


The project marks the first time Harrah's will be expanding the Horseshoe brand beyond the three Horseshoe casinos in Indiana, Mississippi and Louisiana that were acquired in the purchase of Horseshoe Gaming Holding Corp. earlier this year.

"The Horseshoe brand represents the finest in casino entertainment for avid gamblers," said Gary Loveman, Harrah's president and chief executive officer. "Horseshoe Council Bluffs will provide an exciting gaming experience without parallel in the Omaha metropolitan area, and provide an effective complement to Harrah's Council Bluffs. We are optimistic about the Horseshoe brand's potential in this market, and will actively examine additional opportunities to use this brand across the country and the world."

Horseshoe Council Bluffs will be the largest casino in the Council Bluffs market, with 69 percent more gaming space than the existing casino. In keeping with Horseshoe's reputation for high-quality table-game products, 36 table games and a 20-table poker room will be added to the casino.

The new 68,000-square-foot casino will offer an additional 250 slot machines, bringing the casino's total to 2,376. Harrah's also plans to add a new parking garage and entertainment venue. The property's greyhound racetrack will remain in operation, and retain the Bluffs Run brand.

Pending regulatory approval, construction is slated to begin in February, with completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2006.

"Iowa's stable regulatory and tax environment played a crucial role in our decision to make this significant investment in Council Bluffs," Loveman said.

Various subsidiaries of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. own or manage 28 casinos in the United States, primarily under the Harrah's and Horseshoe brand names. Founded 67 years ago, Harrah's Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its valued customers through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership.