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> New Blue Chip expansion to open Jan 22
Southsider2k12
post Jan 19 2009, 11:50 AM
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http://nwitimes.com/articles/2009/01/19/bu...540004d534a.txt

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MICHIGAN CITY | Blue Chip casino officials are pinning their hopes on a new $130 million hotel to transform the gambling hall and help it regain market share lost to a rival casino.

Blue Chip plans to unveil the 22-story, glass-walled structure Jan. 22 to kick off a weekend celebration for top customers, said David Strow, spokesman for Blue Chip Casino parent Boyd Gaming Corp.

"Obviously we're pretty excited to reach this milestone," Strow said.

The 250 new jobs created by the hotel aren't the only benefit to the local community, said John Regetz, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corporation.

"We also look for it to bring in visitors who spend money in the community and enjoy the recreational activities we have here," Regetz said.

"It also provides great exposure for our community as a place to locate new businesses."

The hotel caps an expansion of the Michigan City property that includes a spacious new Blue Chip riverboat launched in 2006, intended to ward off competition from the sprawling, land-based Four Winds Casino Resort, which opened in August 2007 in nearby New Buffalo, Mich.

The Blue Chip hotel, designed in shades of blue to mimic nearby Lake Michigan, towers over the Northwest Indiana landscape and houses the 15,000-square-foot Stardust event center, the 10,000-square foot Spa Blu and new bars and restaurants, including Las Vegas-themed "It's Vegas Baby" and sportsbook-themed "The Game."

The luxury spa, unlike anything in the Chicago area casino market, Strow said, "is an amenity that's worked well at many Las Vegas casinos."

"What we're working toward and what we believe we will become is a regional entertainment destination," Strow said, rivaling even the $500 million expanded Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, with its star-power auditorium.

At Blue Chip, "We're offering a wide variety of amenities that other competitors may offer, but not under one roof," Strow said.

The strategy could prove successful in helping Blue Chip rebuild business that has steadily declined since the Four Winds casino opened, with Blue Chip monthly revenue falling to $16.1 million in July 2008 from $26.7 million a year earlier.

"We've traditionally seen that when a property in Indiana opens a new hotel or tower or other kinds of amenities, the buzz tends to go up," said Ed Feigenbaum, whose Indiana Gaming Insights tracks the state's gambling industry.

Ads for the new hotel have started appearing on Indianapolis area television stations, Feigenbaum said.

"One of the things they're trying to accomplish is to generate additional on-site stays. They want people to view that as a destination," Feigenbaum said.

From a marketing perspective, "the opening of the new hotel tower comes at a good time, said John Busam, editor of Midwest Gaming & Travel.

The economic downturn has gamblers looking for places closer to home to spend a few days in a full service gambling destination, Busam said.

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Southsider2k12
post Jan 23 2009, 12:35 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=20503

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Getting ahead of the game
Blue Chip Casino’s multi-million dollar baby is open

Amanda Haverstick
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Opening the 22-story Spa Blu Tower has long been part of the game plan for Blue Chip's parent company, Boyd Gaming.

In spite of cloudy economic weather, the company's top brass see Michigan City's new attraction moving them ahead of the game.

"We've had a great business here with the local community, but we need to find ways to expand our market," said Paul J. Chakmak, Boyd Gaming Corp.'s chief operating officer. "Obviously there's been more competition that has come in."

Blue Chip's competition came in August 2007 when Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Mich., opened.

"Our gaming revenues are publicly reported and have certainly been down more than the rest of the market," Chakmak said. "Obviously it's a tough economic time for everyone in the United States."

According to Boyd Gaming's third quarter report for 2008, the company's Midwest and South region recorded $189.1 million in net revenues for the third quarter, compared with $226.9 million for the same period in 2007.

"The additional competition from Four Winds has certainly exacerbated that for us," Chakmak said. "We've got great penetration in the local market, but we're obviously both local market casinos. We have to compete for the same customers."

Their goal, said Chakmak, was to create a regional destination that can draw from Chicago to Indianapolis and in between.

"It wasn't just about building a bigger casino," Chakmak said. "Our casino is beautiful, and frankly it's brand new ... but the strategy here was to expand our market reach and be able to broaden who our customer base is."

The key elements in that strategy include the new hotel.

"We've been very successful with the 184 hotel rooms that we (already) have here, but it's certainly not enough, especially on weekends," Chakmak said. "We wanted to step it up. The new rooms are much more upscale than the existing hotel."

The Stardust Event Center, another key element, serves two purposes - regional business meetings midweek and live entertainment on the weekends.

"The regional meeting business ... plenty of that happens in good times and in bad," Chakmak said. "On weekends, you will see us get much more involved in entertainment - something we haven't had the facilities to do in the past."

The final pieces of the puzzle are restaurants and Spa Blu, where patrons work out in the fitness center and get makeovers and facials.

"The restaurants here have been successful, but we didn't have the casual dining element. The two restaurants address that," Chakmak said. "(The spa) is a big piece of that regional destination element that we think folks will really enjoy."

Chakmak said the new features were a move that was in store for Blue Chip without Four Winds opening.

"It certainly gives us a competitive leg up on the rest of the market," Chakmak said. "You try to be a little bit smarter in tougher times. Revenues have been under pressure throughout the country. There's a real ripple effect that's impacting everyone today.

After 24 months of construction, the project, said Chakmak, has turned out as expected.

"Job wise this creates about 250 new jobs for the local community," Chakmak said. "A pice of our tax base feeds directly into Michigan City. It creates jobs, it creates revenues and creates an appeal for folks to come into the area."
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Southsider2k12
post Jan 23 2009, 12:47 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=20499

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'The New Blue'
Blue Chip’s new hotel opens

Editorial

Even though Blue Chip Casino suffered a significant reversal of fortunes with the opening in 2007 of the competing Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Mich., it remains a powerful economic driver in Michigan City.

Thursday's opening of the new $130 million, 22-story Spa Blue Tower, more than a year in the planning and construction, demonstrates that Blue Chip is committed to competing fiercely for the casino, convention, restaurant and entertainment business in a three-state region.

This is good for Michigan City and the area, and we are sure people here will join us in hoping the new invesment pays off for Blue Chip and the city.

On top of all the construction jobs that the project created, the new hotel and its related facilities is employing 230 additional people, which is of great importance to the Michigan City area, particularly in this recession when getting and retaining jobs is of utmost importance to every community.

So with great fanfare over the last two days, Blue Chip and its executives, including Executive Chairman William Boyd of Boyd Gaming, came to Michigan City for ceremonies and parties with local officials and invited guests. They worked at creating a splash designed to illustrate how "The New Blue" is more like Las Vegas than its competition.

The plan is to expand the reasons for people to come to Blue Chip - not just to gamble, but for organizations to hold conventions here, to stay at a plush hotel and to dine in fine restaurants and enjoy name entertainers.

Boyd Gaming has put a huge investment into Michigan City, and while the new hotel, spa and related facilities are good economic news for Michigan City, "The New Blue" stands tall in the city. It also boosts the community's image and beckons people who will come here not only for Blue Chip's attractions but the many other things people enjoy about Michigan City.

Our Opinion:
The Issue:

Blue Chip's huge investment shows its confidence in the city.

Our Opinion:

The expansion of Blue Chip can only be good for Michigan City.
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Roger Kaputnik
post Jan 23 2009, 01:11 PM
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I do like the idea of 'name' entertainers coming to MC again. Ask some oldtimers, there used to be plenty of acts that came here, and to see it happen again is a good thing. There! I said it! Like the ND, I am WAY OUT ON A LIMB with this opinion.


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IndyTransplant
post Jan 23 2009, 06:59 PM
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QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Jan 23 2009, 01:11 PM) *

I do like the idea of 'name' entertainers coming to MC again. Ask some oldtimers, there used to be plenty of acts that came here, and to see it happen again is a good thing. There! I said it! Like the ND, I am WAY OUT ON A LIMB with this opinion.




Roger,
Is there room on that limb for me? I like the local entertainment Blue Chips has been offering in Rocks. This is another step upward and I think this is a very good thing for MC. When the tourists return in the summer and as organizations, businesses and trade shows learn about the facilities, it should pull in a lot of business. It may even hurt Radisson Star Plaza a little since they were one of the closest convention hotels and entertainment venues. I attended a convention at the Star Plaza last October and was not impressed at all. The room was not very clean, the pool overly chlorinated, the meeting rooms were adequate, but the service in all areas of the hotel and convention center, was extremely poor. Nice to have another close option for conventions.


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Michelle
post Jan 25 2009, 09:36 PM
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QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Jan 23 2009, 01:11 PM) *

Like the ND, I am WAY OUT ON A LIMB with this opinion.


They probably didn't want to take a big risk after that controversial piece about how it's nice that everyone helps each other out in bad weather wink.gif (actually, that column was kind of sweet, so I shouldn't make fun). Or maybe they're saving it up for an expose on how kittens can cheer you up even on the gloomiest days.

Back on topic--I stopped by Blue Chip last night, and it was packed! They definitely pulled in a big crowd for the opening. Here's hoping it stays that way. The new restaurants and shop look stunning, and the tower looks great. (didn't see the rooms, but the lobby looked beautiful, at least).

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Roger Kaputnik
post Jan 26 2009, 08:24 AM
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I noticed that coming up from Westville, after making the curve by the motel that has been for sale, when you look straight ahead, due north along the highway, one sees the new building! And coming into MC on 12, same thing.


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IndyTransplant
post Jan 26 2009, 08:37 AM
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Off- topic: Does anyone have any info on that motel? A friend of mine and I had dreams for that thing, but money is an issue right now and we thought maybe we would have a shot at it in the future. They either sold it or took it off the market.
Back on topic - Blue Chips was packed Saturday night and still going very strongly well after midnight. The Game (pub) had a few service glitches, but I know they will get it together. Overall if they can keep the crowds coming in, it bodes well for MC's future. I couldn't help but catch pieces of conversation while walking around and the bits of conversation I heard indicated that many were from out of town (out of state also). Their out of the local area advertising paid off it seems.

QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Jan 26 2009, 08:24 AM) *
I noticed that coming up from Westville, after making the curve by the motel that has been for sale, when you look straight ahead, due north along the highway, one sees the new building! And coming into MC on 12, same thing.


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