Pinnacle Entertainment is a Las Vegas-based casino operator with eight properties, including Belterra Casino Resort & Spa in Switzerland County, Ind. It acquired River Downs in 2011 and applied in July for an Ohio license to operate up to 2,500 video lottery terminals at the 82-year-old racetrack near the Coney Island amusement park and Riverbend. Pinnacle has spent 50 million on the license fee, and over 125 million in real esttate investments in the past six months.

They are going to build a new grandstand, restaurants, hotels, a theater and a bowling alley. Meantime CI is maintaing staus quo and not being pro-active. I can see RD overtaking all of Coney. In addition, they are negotiating with Chattanooga to bring the Delta Queen back and park it here for use as a hotel and gambling site. There is plans to keep the region open when flooding occurs. They have unlimited resources.

If CI stays open, the area probably will not be family friendly anymore. The regions aestethics will be changed forever .

Will Coney survive? What say you?

pilotank

...If CI stays open, the area probably will not be family friendly anymore....

You know, since only criminals and deadbeats go to legal gambleing sites.

No one has unlimited resources.

Grand plans may or may not happen.

I seem to remember a large amusement complex planned for Wheeling, West Virginia. Hasn't happened.

Many announced developments never happen or don't last.

Coney's future is murky, but they know what they are and want to be. It is possible that with enough money, that could change. Or not. See Six Flags Holiday World. On the other hand, see the shopping center where Westview Park was in Pittsburgh. See Miracle Strip, sold for condos that so far have not been built. See Pavilion.

Geauga Lake. What's happened to Astroland. Whalom. Astroworld. MGM at Vegas.

And on and on.

Well, that is if first they become irrationally addicted to the point of desperation, where they might be compelled to do something criminal because of the deadbeat status they may or may not find themselves in.

-Tb, who knows. Sadly.

They being the gamblers, not the park owners. Usually.

Terp, who has unfortunately seen desperation (and elation) in both groups, on occasion.

No one has unlimited resources.

Grand plans may or may not happen.

I seem to remember a large amusement complex planned for Wheeling, West Virginia. Hasn't happened.

Many announced developments never happen or don't last.

Coney's future is murky, but they know what they are and want to be. It is possible that with enough money, that could change. Or not. See Six Flags Holiday World. On the other hand, see the shopping center where Westview Park was in Pittsburgh. See Miracle Strip, sold for condos that so far have not been built. See Pavilion.

Geauga Lake. What's happened to Astroland. Whalom. Astroworld. MGM at Vegas.

And on and on.

I would say investing 175 million in 6 months is both substantial and eyeopening and would not have taken place if they are not moving forward.

They are already cancelling this years summer racing to complete construction.

pilotank

Wild West World moved forward. So did Hard Rock Park. So did Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. So, supposedly, is Ark Park.

Success is not guaranteed.

Terp, who is somewhat surprised at the length of Kentucky Kingdom silence so far.

Cincinnati without Coney it tried once before it failed Coney will outlive a lot of us maybe Coney on the boardwalk next to new track/ racino/ casino hotel.

But the most notable will be flood control for everything, and a thing called riverbend in the middle.

Wild West World moved forward. So did Hard Rock Park. So did Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. So, supposedly, is Ark Park.

Success is not guaranteed.

Terp, who is somewhat surprised at the length of Kentucky Kingdom silence so far.

I am also suprised with the long silence within the Kentucky Kingdom negotiations.....

At this point, I'm quite curious with what this silence could mean..... Or not mean.....

I don`t think you have to worry about Coney going away anytime soon. It will be around. I don`t think River Downs will take over Coney. They own quite a bit of land already. If anything they see Coney as an added benefit, because it is another attraction to attract people to the area.

And remember, technically, Coney Island borders Riverbend Music Center, which in turn borders Riverdowns` land. Riverbend is owned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. I don`t think that the changes to Riverbend will cause Coney to go away. Will it change the way that Coney does things? Yes. I know that for a fact. And I`m sure we`ll see some of those bear out in the coming months and year

I think this has it's pros and cons but it should benefit Coney with some more tourism, but still anything could happen in the future with the park. If they end up building a hotel near by (which I have no idea where that would go) that would be very good for coney, also if the Delta Queen were parked near by I also think that would help boost the number of people that come to that area.

Somehow i thought something like this would happen soon.

Somehow i thought something like this would happen soon.

What aspect(s) in particular?

How will Coney do anyting different with a new River Downs Casino/ Track:

Most I see maybe a parking deck, flood control.

Unless Coney sold out for the land.

The inevitable flood will still be the problem.

I have gotten from several sources that this is where they want to park the gambling boat, whether it is the Delta Queen or another boat.

The news from Chattanooga is they don't want to give

up the Delta Queen.

Also, the old marina plans that were designed for CI have also surfaced.

politank

Where are those plans surfacing at?

I have gotten from several sources that this is where they want to park the gambling boat, whether it is the Delta Queen or another boat.

Gambling boat?

Anderson Township Trustee Russ Jackson suggested the Delta Queen. Pinnacle Entertainment "didn't bite".

“I tried to get them to buy the Delta Queen from the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., and bring it up here,” Jackson said. “They didn’t bite.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/print-edition/2012/08/24/river-downs-racino-plan-includes.html?page=all

Companies like this have all the plans drawn out prior to purchase and the plans will include not getting bigger than what the area can support. The initial plans normally include purchasing all land/ buildings at one time due to the inflated land values after the casino/ racino opens. If the plans did not include Coney from the beginning, it would be pure assumption (almost trolling for a reaction based upon a newspaper article you twisted into a rumor) at this point.

Do you have anymore newspaper "sources" that can be quoted that don't date back to August?

I too have not heard anything about the marina or moving the Delta Queen here, other than what was mentioned in the article.

Riverdowns owns quite a bit of land to the east for the current grandstand. They also own a large plot of land on the north side of Kellogg, across from the parking lot that is to the east of the grandstand.

As I have said before, the Riverdowns redevelopment will impact Coney, but I don`t think it will be as big of an impact as what Pilotank is letting on. Remember, Cincinnati will be opening a casino next spring, so its not llike this new Racino will draw people from all over the city. I do think that it will help the area and maybe attract some additional customers to Coney, but they are going after different target markets.

If anything, CI is an asset to RD.

It has close proximity to the racino, giving non-gamblers an entertainment option- (i.e.: mom & kids can go to CI & dad can bet the ponies.)

A similar scenario has taken place in my hometown. A casino was built a few miles from a large indoor waterpark.

Both have fed off each other quite well.

I have gotten from several sources that this is where they want to park the gambling boat, whether it is the Delta Queen or another boat.

Gambling boat?

Anderson Township Trustee Russ Jackson suggested the Delta Queen. Pinnacle Entertainment "didn't bite".

“I tried to get them to buy the Delta Queen from the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., and bring it up here,” Jackson said. “They didn’t bite.”

If the plans did not include Coney from the beginning, it would be pure assumption (almost trolling for a reaction based upon a newspaper article you twisted into a rumor) at this point.

Actually my information comes from inside sources of Hamilton Co.

It is not printed and they have been spot on with:

Construction of the Twister

The Floral Clock

and the plans for a roller coaster being scrapped because over budget concerns.

pilotank

Oh....

You have "sources".

If you already have the information, why ask the question? And why use the exact information found word for word in an article from August?

If CI stays open, the area probably will not be family friendly anymore. The regions aestethics will be changed forever .

Will Coney survive? What say you?

pilotank

I'm sure if they were going to be docking a boat like the delta or a gambling boat at Coney then CoasterRZ would maybe have heard some inside info on that one. Not doubting anyone because these are rumors and they can come true but having a gambling boat by the old dock seems a big stretch but not out of the question.

Oh....

You have "sources".

If you already have the information, why ask the question? And why use the exact information found word for word in an article from August?

Because just as Terpy and CoasterRZ have pointed out, not all plans submitted are actually carried out.

However, proposals are just that, proposals.

With 175 million being spent, I would say they are serious and that the landscape is going to be changed forever.

I just hope that Coney can weather the storm and stay open.

pilotank

I just hope that Coney can weather the storm and stay open.

Weather what storm?

They are going to build a new grandstand, restaurants, hotels, a theater and a bowling alley. Meantime CI is maintaing staus quo and not being pro-active. I can see RD overtaking all of Coney. In addition, they are negotiating with Chattanooga to bring the Delta Queen back and park it here for use as a hotel and gambling site. There is plans to keep the region open when flooding occurs. They have unlimited resources.

If I had $200 for every development near Cincinnati in the past twenty years that talked about building a movie theatre, I'd have enough money to actually build one.

Bowling Alley? That's a past time steadily declining in American society and one not typically associated with luxury entertainment and vacationing - unless it's ala "Star Lanes" in Newport.

Keep in mind, that what they're proposing isn't a rival amusement park or experience similar to Coney Island. It's not like they'd cause Coney to go out of business due to competition.

I have gotten from several sources that this is where they want to park the gambling boat,

Also, the old marina plans that were designed for CI have also surfaced.

Could we hear who these sources are and do you have a link to the marina plans? I'd love to see those/hear more about that.

I'd take their press releases with a grain of salt. This is a "racino," not a full scale casino or anything like seen in Las Vegas. Las Vegas has tons of entertainment options for multiple demographics. I doubt there's going to be consumer demand for a luxury hotel at a site where you can gamble on horses and play slots.

Coney seems safe.

I'd say the bigger issue is where do they plan to park all these people when they build on the existing lots?

I hope whoever starts with some new restrooms.

imagine on day of a big concert, busy day at coney, a race, and busy casino day where will they park?

Floodiing problems?

Will coney ever add more rides?

^ Did CI sell any land to the Racino?

I doubt Coney would have sold land? But who knows

If they have not sold land, all of CI's existing plans would continue to move forward, Racino or not.