Rising Sun Mayor Bill Marksberry (center), Clerk-Treasurer Rae Baker-Gipson (left), and Rising Star Casino General Manager Steve Jiminez (second from left) cut the ribbon to mark a 100 room hotel to be built at the casino Wednesday. Mark Quicksall-Eagle 99.3   A computer rendering of what the hotel may look like. Mark Quicksall-Eagle 99.3

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - Rising Star Casino hopes a new hotel will help lure more gamblers to the Rising Sun riverboat.

The announcement was made Wednesday where officials with Full House Gaming, Rising Sun Ohio County First, and the Rising Sun Regional Foundation announced plans to build the 100 room hotel at the casino.

Construction will begin in December and should be completed in the fourth quarter of 2012, project managers said.

The new hotel should help restore at least some of the dozens of jobs which have been cut from the casino in recent years. Local hiring will be done for about 100 temporary construction jobs, and another 20 to 30 permanent employees will work in the hotel.

The expansion will add to the casino’s current 201 room resort.

Rising Sun Mayor Bill Marksberry said the city had been working with the casino and former owner Hyatt for several years to make the hotel addition happen.

The riverboat was purchased earlier this year by Las Vegas-based Full House Resorts who changed the name from Grand Victoria Casino & Resort.

LINKS:

Mystery Groundbreaking In Rising Sun Wed.