| Harrah's Casino Tunica | |
|---|---|
| Address | 13615 Old Highway 61 North Tunica Resorts, MS 38664 |
| Opening date | 1996 |
| Theme | Art Deco |
| No. of rooms | 1,356 |
| Total gaming space | 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) |
| Signature attractions | Bellissimo Spa & Salon |
| Notable restaurants | '37 Steakhouse |
| Casino type | Riverboat |
| Owner | Caesars Entertainment |
| Previous names | Grand Casino Tunica |
| Website | Harrah's Tunica website |
Harrah's Casino Tunica, formerly Grand Casino Tunica, is a casino and resort located in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The casino offers a 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) casino and three hotels with a total of 1,356 rooms. There is also an RV park, the Bellissimo Spa & Salon, a convention center, and a 2,500 seat entertainment venue called the Harrah's Event Center.
Restaurants include '37 Steakhouse, the Paula Deen Buffet[1] (inspired by the famed Food Network personality; formally opened on May 23, 2008, as a renovation of the former Grand Buffet), Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill, Fudruckers, Quiznos Express, Uno Express, and Dunkin' Donuts. All three hotels also offer room service, and the Terrace and Veranda Towers also offer a snack bar.
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The casino itself was built in 1996. It is the largest casino between Las Vegas and Atlantic City, featuring a large poker room. The first hotel, Casino Tower, was constructed in 1997. It contains 148 rooms and 40 suites. The theme of the hotel is art deco. The second hotel, Veranda Tower, is more of a modern hotel, which was constructed in 1999. It contains 532 rooms and 36 suites. The largest hotel and final hotel completed, Terrace Tower, was completed in 2001 with more of a country inn-theme. It contains 563 rooms and 37 suites.
The Veranda and Terrace Towers are not connected to the casino, but located approximately ½ mile away. Complimentary shuttle service, which runs 24 hours a day, takes guests to and from the casino. The Casino Tower is located adjacent to the casino itself and is about 200 yd (180 m) away. There is a covered walkway in between the two. Shuttles also run to the RV Park.
In October 2007, Harrah's officials announced that Grand Casino Tunica would undergo a $45 million renovation of its hotels and casinos, which included the resort being renamed Harrah's Casino Tunica.[2] In addition, the company announced that the new Harrah's will feature a new buffet bearing the name of Food Network celebrity chef Paula Deen. Paula Deen's Buffet is reported to be the first celebrity chef-branded buffet at an American casino.[3]
A Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill owned by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Capri Restaurant Group Enterprises LLC opened in Harrah's in September 2010, replacing the former Replays bar and grill and Murano's Italian Restaurant.
Grand Casino Tunica's original owner was Grand Casinos, Inc., headed by Lyle Berman, a pioneer in developing resort-style casinos on Native American reservations and in Mississippi.
In 1998, Berman and Grand Casinos, Inc., sold their Tunica, and Biloxi, Mississippi resorts to the gaming division of Hilton Hotels, with the combined assets being spun off to create a new corporation called Park Place Entertainment (later renamed Caesars Entertainment).
In 2005, Caesars Entertainment was acquired by Harrah's Entertainment, which converted back to the Caesars Entertainment name in 2010. In the Tunica market, Caesars also operates Horseshoe Casino Tunica and Tunica Roadhouse Casino & Hotel (formerly Sheraton). The three properties share management and player marketing operations.
The current Harrah's is the third casino in Tunica Resorts to bear the name Harrah's. The first was located just off Casino Strip Blvd., several miles south of the former Grand, and was the first casino to open in that area. In 2000, Harrah's acquired the shuttered Southern Belle Casino, approximately 500 yards (450 m) away from the first Harrah's. The company operated both casinos as Harrah's for a short time, calling the second property "Harrah's Mardi Gras." Eventually, Harrah's sold the original property to Isle of Capri Casinos.
With the sale of Caesars to Harrah's in 2004, the combined companies were forced to sell two properties to avoid owning five of the nine casinos in the Tunica market. The remaining Harrah's was sold, along with Bally's Casino Tunica, to Colony Capital, and Harrah's was renamed Resorts Casino Tunica.
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