Apr. 17--ELIZABETH -- The wave of a mock sword from a parody Julius Caesar on Wednesday signaled Padgett Construction crews to bring down a 12-foot statue of the Roman leader from atop Caesars Indiana casino.

A few tugs from a crane and the Caesar statue was gone from its perch. Its outstretched hand -- swaying left and right while on decline to the back of a flatbed truck waiting to receive it -- seemed to be waiving a final goodbye to the patrons of the casino.

The 750-pound statue went along with the theme of Caesars Indiana, but now that theme is changing one piece at a time after Harrah's Entertainment purchased the casino in 2005. In mid-July the complex, which also includes a hotel, will be renamed Horseshoe Southern Indiana.

The deal -- worth $9.3 billion -- included the Elizabeth location along with 25 other Caesars casinos. Caesars Indiana Vice President Neal Walkoff told a crowd of nearly 100 that gathered on the casino's lawn to watch the removal of the statue that more de-Romanizing would be on the way.

One holdover will be the Chariot Run Golf Course, which will keep its Romanesque title.

Walkoff said a Jack Binion's Steakhouse will replace Portico's, and he said upgrades are coming. While the speakers inside the casino soon will not be welcoming people with the call of "Hello Noble Citizens," he said customers should still expect an enjoyable experience when they come to the casino.

"We're very proud of the history we've had with Caesars and we're looking forward to our future with Harrah's," Walkoff said.

As part of the transition, a concert series with high-profile performers will begin in May with Sheryl Crow. Stone Temple Pilots, The Black Crowes and The Beach Boys also are scheduled to perform this summer.

But the story of the day was the statue removal. The Caesar likeness had hovered above the casino and was one of the first things passersby saw when nearing on Ind. 111.

It was given to Harrison County as a token of memory and officials are trying to figure out what to do with it. Harrison County Councilman Buck Mathis said the statue will be put in storage for now.

"Right now, we don't have a place for it. Hopefully in the future, we will have a community building or some county facility where we can put it up," he said.

Mathis wants to see the statue in a prevalent place in remembrance of the company that started gaming in Harrison County.

"Any time you get more than $20 million pumped into your county each year, it's got to be good," Mathis said, referring to an agreement with the casino which funds many programs. "We hope to have a good working relationship with Horseshoe, and from our understanding, it's going to get bigger and better, which will mean more revenue for our county."

According to Walkoff, Caesars has generated more than $240 million in admissions and general taxes for Harrison County. Also, they have given $93 million through the Caesars Foundation of Harrison County and $29 million to the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County.

Caesars Indiana opened in 1998 and has 120 table games, including the largest poker room in the area.

Harrah's Entertainment is the world's largest provider of branded casino entertainment. The company began in Reno, Nev.

Where will Caesar go?

--According to Harrison County Councilman Bob Mathis, the Julius Caesar statue from Caesars Indiana will be kept in storage until it will hopefully be placed at a community center or county facility in the future.

So you know

--Harrah's Entertainment purchased Caesars Indiana in 2005. Beginning in mid-July, the casino's new name will be Horseshoe Southern Indiana.

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