I also heard a few years ago that Harrahs bought the old Astroworld property in Houston hoping for Texas to make casino gambling legal. The rumor hung on for a good bit. MHB Asset LP, a Fort Worth investment company bought it. Later the Houston rodeo bought half of the land.

For what it's worth, for a state with no gambling, I seem to lose $500 every time I visit the Indian reservation near Livingston, TX. Naskilla Gaming is going strong with Class II gaming.