Ready or not

There's still some dust.

The plastic wrap is still on the scarlet velvet theater seats.

And the entire floating landscape of the new and very posh Horseshoe Casino vessel in Hammond smells very fresh and new.

But by next Friday, on the magic date of 8-8-'08, the entire scene promises to be picture-perfect according to the man who should know: Joe Branchik, vice president of marketing for Horseshoe and someone who has been with this gaming property since 1996.

Branchik did a private tour of the new space for myself earlier this week, along with our Times TV friends from the west, otherwise known as media partner WMAQ NBC-Channel 5.

It's clear to see this space is a cut above anything floating on this lake or any other body of water in the Midwest.

With a price tag of more than half a billion dollars and a total expansion of more than 350,000 square feet, it's also easy to see why expectations are as high as some of the new high-roller heavy-duty limits gaming options, which include slot machines for $1,000 a pull, private blackjack rooms with $50,000 limits and baccarat with stakes as $100,000 per bet.

The new gaming vessel actually opened for business on Tuesday. On Thursday, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott helped Horseshoe's top man Rick Mazer do the honors at the actual ribbon-cutting with other dignitaries.

Now, everyone is jockeying for the VIP invites for next Friday's grand-opening celebration, which includes huge party gatherings before and after Bette Midler's 8 p.m. sold-out concert (online ticket brokers are still offering decent seats for $500 and $600).

But no matter when you get your first chance to see what's new and improved, my advice is to drink in more than just a glimpse of this architectural wonderment by the masters at the renown Sceno Plus architects, the same folks responsible for eye-popping properties along the famed Las Vegas strip.

Real gold leaf and silver leaf covers everything from wrought-iron decorative finishes to the grand vaulted ceilings.

The special Asian-themed gaming area is furnished and decorated with pieces from the Orient, from the gaming tables and seat cushions to the custom hand-fitted lattice work. The decor continues with focal points like a carved-dragon ceiling and hanging paper lanterns crafted from overseas.

A private noodle bar is just a short stroll away in the back of the room and the flat screen televisions are tuned to special satellite feeds to broadcast Asian television news and programming. One of my favorite pieces sits in a special alcove: a 5,000 year-old Mongolian warrior's riding saddle.

There are plenty of references to Casino mogul Jack Binion, the man who forever changed the legacy of this Hammond gaming property.

I don't have a confirmation yet on whether or not Binion, 71 and his wife Phyllis are flying in for Friday's fun. It was on his 23rd birthday that Jack received the ultimate gift from his late father Benny Binion: the role of president and CEO of the family's casino business fortune.

But no matter what happens, his presence is definitely known. The new and larger steakhouse space still bears his name and many banks of the slot machines boast his smiling face and ever-present lapel carnation floating over the stations. By the way, of the 3,200 slot machines, about 2,400 are brand new, including fun-themed machines like "Star Wars Stakes," featuring a backwards talking, animated Yoda looming above. I noticed a number of the slot machines have returned to their original old-fashioned spinning reel design, including pull-down handles.

In Horseshoe's new World Series of Poker room, large framed portraits of both Jack and Benny are showcased along the walls with poker greats like Jack "Treetop" Straus, Bobby "The Owl" Baldwin, Stu "the Kid" Ungar and Johnny "the Grandfather of Poker" Moss.

The impressive grand staircase that leads to The Venue theater space also includes large vintage classic casino photos of some of the most popular Las Vegas headliners ever to take the stage, including Frank Sinatra, Jack Parr and Milton Berle.

Also, the very gourmet "step-above the rest" Horseshoe buffet has been greatly expanded (while the prices have remained the same) and moved from the land-based pavilion onto the boat.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

celebBirthdays

Actor Peter O'Toole is 76. Country singer Hank Cochran is 73. Keyboardist Garth Hudson of The Band is 71. Director Wes Craven is 69. Singer Kathy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters is 65. Actor Max Wright ("Alf," "Norm") is 65. Actress Joanna Cassidy is 63. Actress Kathryn Harrold and Judge Lance Ito, of the famed O.J. trial, are 58. Singer Andrew Gold is 57. Actor Butch Patrick ("The Munsters") is 55. Singer Mojo Nixon is 51. Actress Victoria Jackson and singer Apollonia ("Falcon Crest") are 49. Actress Cynthia Stevenson ("Men In Trees," "Hope and Gloria") is 46. Actress Mary-Louise Parker is 44. Director-actor Kevin Smith ("Clerks," "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back") is 38. Singer Jeremy Castle is 34. Actor Edward Furlong is 31. Drummer Devon Glenn of Buckcherry is 28. Actress Hallie Eisenberg is 16. Cassidy Gifford (daughter of

Frank and Kathy Lee) is 15.