Joe DeRosa try to compete with Donald Trump on a daily basis
In a grand opening featuring a trio of Las Vegas style showgirls, Resorts took over Friday as operator of the city's riverboat casino.
A handful of city and state officials joined a crowd of about 50 onlookers who cheered the change in ownership, the third in the casino's near decade in existence.
Resorts General Manager Joe DeRosa promised a commitment to the region, including hiring local vendors and local workers.
"We take our commitment seriously," DeRosa said.
DeRosa, who at one time managed Trump Casino in Gary, said he now will be happy "to try to compete with (Trump) on a daily basis."
The East Chicago casino, which began life as Showboat Mardi Gras in 1997, was bought by Los Angeles-based real estate firm Colony Capital LLC as part of a $1.24 billion deal completed this year.
The acquisition included the Atlantic City Hilton and two casinos in Tunica, Miss., to make Colony Capital the nation's largest privately held casino company, DeRosa said.
A state-sanctioned license transfer to Colony Capital took place in April.
The company plans to install a new line-up of slot machines on its 53,000-square-foot gambling floor, DeRosa said.
"We're going to offer the most popular new products, and make our slots more user-friendly," something that hadn't happened under the casino's previous owner, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., DeRosa said.
Harrah's had acquired Showboat in June 1998 and opened an adjoining 293-room hotel in 2002.
The East Chicago casino went on the market after Harrah's in short order last year acquired both Jack Binion's Horseshoe casinos and Caesars Entertainment Inc., making it the owner of three Indiana properties in a state that permits a single owner just two operating licenses.
State Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, on Friday called the newly named Resorts, "great for the city of East Chicago.
"We're looking forward to making sure they have the tools they need to make this the best casino in Indiana," Harris said.
Calvin Bellamy, chairman and chief executive officer of privately owned Calumet Bank, on hand for the grand opening, said the change in owners holds promise for Northwest Indiana.
"The attitude of the new ownership is very positive," Bellamy said.
