Harrah’s unsure on how brands will be dealt with

Friday, March 11, 2005 | 11:37 a.m.

Harrah's Entertainment Inc. hasn't determined what to do with all of the brands it will acquire once its $9.4 billion bid for Caesars Entertainment Inc. is consummated.

Caesars Entertainment, which was created from four separate gaming companies, has collected one of the most diverse set of casino brands outside of Nevada.

Harrah's expects to keep its Harrah's Las Vegas and Rio brands and also maintain the Paris Las Vegas name after it buys the French-themed resort from Caesars, Harrah's spokesman Gary Thompson said. The name of Caesars' flagship Caesars Palace resort also will remain untouched, he said.

The company hasn't decided whether to keep the Flamingo and Bally's casino brands in Las Vegas, however, Thompson said. Also undecided is the future of the Grand Casinos brand of properties Harrah's will acquire from Caesars in Mississippi.

"It's too early to tell," he said.

Harrah's executives have previously said the company would maintain three major casino brands -- Harrah's, Caesars and Horseshoe -- and decide the others on a case-by-case basis.

Harrah's acquired the rights to the Horseshoe name in Nevada when it assumed the debt of Binion's Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas. MTR Gaming Group Inc., which owns Binion's, took over management of the downtown casino from Harrah's on Thursday. Harrah's also bought the rights to the World Series of Poker tournament from Binion's.

Harrah's has plans to someday develop a Strip resort with the Horseshoe brand and has already rebranded an Iowa racetrack casino with the Horseshoe name.