The workers were pouring concrete in a 60-foot by 60-foot section on the third floor, described as a "bay," when a beam gave way, Fire Chief Richard Braun said. “It went down in a ‘V.’ The workers on top rode it down,” he said.
Project general contractor Messer Construction has shut down work while company officials assess the damage.
The collapse closed nearby roadways for a time. There also was an accident involving a charter bus and a TV truck stemming from the collapse. The bus hit the truck, which was parked at a bus station near the construction site. A press conference about the collapse was occurring when the crash occurred. No one was believed hurt in the crash.
Steve Rosenthal, principal in Rock Gaming LLC, a partner in the casino project, said construction will not resume at the site until OSHA officials and construction managers determine it is safe to do so.
Currently, the opening date is set for Spring 2013. It is one of four casinos, including the Columbus and Cincinnati markets, authorized by Ohio voters.
The casino is being developed by Rock Gaming in partnership with Caesar’s Entertainment. The same team is behind a casino project in downtown Cleveland where a garage partially collapsed Dec. 16. A 60-foot by 60-foot second-level section of the parking deck gave way while concrete was being poured. No one was injured.
State Sen. Bill Seitz, who had been briefed by Rock lobbyist and former Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken, told the Associated Press the two concrete companies working on the job were Baker Concrete and Johnson Concrete.
The Cincinnati casino is supposed to attract nearly 6 million visitors and create 1,700 jobs, said Lee Dillard, vice president of finance for the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland. It will feature three outward-facing restaurants, about 2,000 slot machines, 85 table games and a 31-table World Series of Poker room.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About the Author