BLT Steak at Bally's Las Vegas Will Open Early 2014

LAS VEGAS, July 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bally's Las Vegas and ESquared Hospitality announced today the opening of BLT Steak inside Bally's Las Vegas in early 2014.  With its prime location and critically acclaimed menu, the praised restaurant will be a natural addition to the blossoming Bally's Las Vegas resort for visitors and locals alike.

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"A steakhouse is an essential part of a Las Vegas resort and BLT Steak is one of the most renowned steakhouses there is," said David Hoenemeyer, president of Bally's Las Vegas.  "With Veronic now at Bally's and the new Jubilee tower scheduled for completion later this summer, BLT Steak will be the capstone on six months of energizing change at Bally's Las Vegas."

BLT Steak joins Bally's exciting center-Strip revitalization which includes the addition of VERONIC Voices, Drai's After Hours and the revitalization of Bally's South Tower.  Proudly co-produced by Celine Dion, VERONIC Voices opened in June and features the unique talents of Veronic, the only female tribute artist of her kind who pays homage to the most popular female recording artists in the world.  A staple in Las Vegas nightlife for more than 15 years, the legendary Drai's After Hours opened its newest location at Bally's in May.  Most recently, Bally's announced the renovation of the 756-room Jubilee Tower, which will open late summer, featuring chic and stylish accommodations.  BLT Steak's 2014 opening will be the next step in the Bally's transformation.

BLT Steak will occupy the space that is currently Bally's Steakhouse but expand to 9,300 square feet, over twice the size of the current restaurant, with more than 250 seats.  A curving bar and accompanying lounge with 50 seats will greet guests before entering the main dining room, which will seat 184 and be separated into small, intimate dining rooms that can be utilized for large parties or special events up to 100 guests.  Two separate private dining rooms will seat up to 10 and 12 guests, respectively.  A fireplace will serve as the centerpiece of the dining room and evoke an aura of relaxed but contemporary elegance, synonymous with BLT Steak restaurants.  Rich wood finishes with a back drop of warm neutral tones will be highlighted with accents of polished stainless steel, amber, and tangerine.

"BLT Steak is a restaurant that is known around the country for its quality food, commitment to service and inviting atmosphere," said Jeffrey Frederick, Caesars Entertainment regional vice president of food and beverage in Las Vegas.  "We look forward to bringing a restaurant of this high caliber to Bally's guests and offering the first BLT Steak in Las Vegas to the local community."

BLT Steak first opened in New York in 2004 and has become one of the most recognized steakhouses in America with an earned reputation for classic steakhouse fare in a bistro-like setting.  The signature popovers, airy golden Gruyere-laced puffs of dough served warm, start every meal, while weekly blackboard specials highlight the best the season has to offer.  These will be complemented by BLT Steak staples including tuna tartare, chopped vegetable salad, Dover sole, peanut butter chocolate mousse and, of course, legendary USDA Prime and Certified Angus® steaks, from the 28 day dry-aged NY strip to the bone-in rib eye.  The wine list, which is modeled after other BLT Steak Wine Spectator's "Best of Award of Excellence" award-winning lists, will feature more than 500 wines with Old World selections from the regions of Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piedmont, Tuscany, Riojo and many others.

"The Las Vegas market has embraced the BLT brand since we introduced BLT Burger in 2008, and we look forward to opening our first BLT Steak Las Vegas in Bally's," said Jimmy Haber, managing partner, ESquared Hospitality. "The hotel's central location and accessibility to visitors staying up and down the Strip made it a natural choice for a BLT Steak." 

About BLT Steak
BLT Steak is ESquared Hospitality's interpretation of the classic steakhouse. Coupled with signature style and exceptional service, ESquared Hospitality's flagship brand is best described as a Modern American Steakhouse. Combining a bistro ambiance with steakhouse fare, BLT Steak is best known for its signature warm popovers, specialty steaks, fresh seafood and satisfying sides. Weekly blackboard specials highlight seasonal flavors and local ingredients. The brand has received a number of honors, including two stars from the New York Times; three stars from the New York Post, The Daily News and Crain's New York Business; and "Best New Restaurant" from Esquire magazine. Learn more at www.bltsteak.com.

About ESquared Hospitality
ESquared Hospitality is an international restaurant and hospitality group owned by Jimmy Haber and Keith Treyball. Built on a commitment to "Exceeding Expectations" with extraordinary food and excellent customer service, ESquared Hospitality has grown into a diversified group of restaurant concepts, from the flagship BLT Steak which opened in 2004 to more than twenty-six restaurants on two continents. ESquared Hospitality properties include the BLT restaurants, comprised of BLT Steak in New York, NY (2004), Washington, DC (2006), San Juan, PR (2006), White Plains, NY (2007), Los Angeles, CA (2008), Scottsdale, AZ (2008), Atlanta, GA (2009), Miami, FL (2009), Hong Kong (2009), Charlotte, NC (2009) and Waikiki, HI (2009); BLT Burger in New York, NY (2006), Las Vegas, NV (2008) and Hong Kong (2009); and BLT Fish (2005), BLT Fish Shack (2005), BLT Prime (2005) and BLT Bar & Grill (2010) in New York, NY. In addition, ESquared Hospitality owns and operates two Italian concepts: Casa Nonna in New York, NY (2011) and The Florentine in Chicago, IL (2010); as well as the GO Burger restaurants which include four storefront GO Burger locations, three in New York, NY (2012) and one in Los Angeles, CA (2011), along with the GO Burger Truck in New York, NY (2010). Visit ESquared Hospitality online at www.e2hospitality.com, facebook.com/ESquaredHospitality, Twitter @ESqHospitality or Instagram @ESquaredHospitality.

Bally's Las Vegas
Bally's Las Vegas is located on the center of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip, across from Caesars Palace and next to Paris Las Vegas. The 44-acre resort features two 26-story hotel towers including the all-new Jubilee Tower (opening late summer) and offers 2,814 guestrooms, including 244 suites. The resort features 11 restaurants, a relaxing pool oasis, a lavish spa and casino space featuring a Party Pit, poker room, 1,100 slot machines and a first-class Race & Sports Book known for its stadium-style seating and abundance of high-definition television screens. Entertainment options include Jubilee!, the longest-running show on the famous Las Vegas Strip and the last remaining showgirl production of its kind, as well as VERONIC Voices starring female tribute artist Veronic DiCaire.  Bally's Las Vegas is also the new home to a staple in Las Vegas nightlife, the legendary Drai's After Hours. Every Sunday, guests can indulge in the finest array of food from around the world, including caviar, sushi, lobster and Champagne at the world-famous Sterling Brunch. For more information, please visit www.ballyslasvegas.com or caesars.thedigitalcenter.com to access media materials and request high-resolution images. Find Bally's on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements contain words such as "may," "will," "project," "might," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "would," "estimate," "continue," "pursue," or the negative or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. In particular, they include statements relating to, among other things, the planned opening of the new BLT Steak and Bally's Las Vegas and future actions, new projects and strategies. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about future events.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified, and, consequently, the actual performance of Caesars may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following factors, as well as other factors described from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein):

• the impact of the Company's significant indebtedness;
• the effects of local and national economic, credit, and capital market conditions on the economy, in general, and on the gaming industry, in particular;
• the ability to realize the expense reductions from cost savings programs;
• access to available and reasonable financing on a timely basis;
• the ability of the Company's customer-tracking, customer loyalty, and yield-management programs to continue to increase customer loyalty and same-store or hotel sales;
• changes in laws, including increased tax rates, smoking bans, regulations or accounting standards, third-party relations and approvals, and decisions, disciplines, and fines of courts, regulators, and governmental bodies;
• the ability to recoup costs of capital investments through higher revenues;
• abnormal gaming holds ("gaming hold" is the amount of money that is retained by the casino from wagers by customers);
• the ability to timely and cost-effectively integrate companies that the Company acquires into its operations;
• the effects of competition, including locations of competitors and operating and market competition;
• the potential difficulties in employee retention and recruitment as a result of the Company's substantial indebtedness or any other factor;
• construction factors, including delays, increased costs of labor and materials, availability of labor and materials, zoning issues, environmental restrictions, soil and water conditions, weather and other hazards, site access matters, and building permit issues;
• litigation outcomes and judicial and governmental body actions, including gaming legislative action, referenda, regulatory disciplinary actions, and fines and taxation;
• the effects of environmental and structural building conditions relating to the Company's properties;
• access to insurance on reasonable terms for the Company's assets;
• acts of war or terrorist incidents, severe weather conditions, uprisings, or natural disasters; and
• the impact, if any, of unfunded pension benefits under multi-employer pension plans.

Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made. Caesars disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated or, if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release.

SOURCE Bally’s Las Vegas