Clad in tux and bow-tie, Detroit booster Dan Gilbert did some boosting Monday night south of the border -- Cleveland that is.
Gilbert, owner of Quicken Loans and the Cleveland Caveliers, was on hand for the opening of his Horseshoe Casino in downtown Cleveland.
He wasn't alone.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer Reported that roughly 4,000 folks showed up by the times the doors opened at 9:30 p.m. More folks showed up after that and there were plenty VIPs there as well.
Interestingly, Gilbert, who has unquestionably done more than any other business person to promote Detroit in the past few years, is opening a casino that could take a bite out of the Detroit casinos' action and put a dent in badly needed tax revenue.
That being said, the folks in Cleveland were pretty darned enthused.
The Plain Dealer reported that some started lining up for the 9:30 p.m. opening at 5 p.m. The line apparently snaked down Ontario Street and West Prospect Avenue. After a while, the crowd had grown to about 5,000, the limit that had been set for comfort sake.
Another casino, not owned by Gilbert, will open in Toledo May 29.
