The Detroit casino suing rapper Offset has announced a multi-year, $65 million renovation and expansion. The MotorCity Casino Hotel filed a lawsuit against the rapper over unpaid gambling debts, just days before he was shot outside a casino in Florida.
The casino claims Offset opened a credit line of $100,000 when gambling at the venue, but has yet to repay the debt.
Around the same time as it filed the lawsuit, it also announced its Elevate the Escape project, which includes a full renovation of 400 hotel guest rooms and suites.
“MotorCity has always been a place people come to have a great time, and ELEVATE THE ESCAPE represents the next chapter in that story,” said John Policicchio, general manager of MotorCity Casino Hotel. “We’re building on what guests already love while introducing new experiences that feel vibrant, exciting, and designed for how people want to escape and enjoy themselves today.”
Offset Escaped Casino Debt
MotorCity is one of the highest-grossing casinos in the city. It generated $376.1 million last year, around 30% of Detroit’s $1.28 billion. Revenue has recovered since 2023, when a series of strikes impacted the venue’s topline.
A few months after that, Offset racked up the debt in a night of gambling in March 2024. The casino attempted to withdraw the funds directly from the 34-year-old’s bank account, as agreed. However, the transaction was rejected due to insufficient funds.
Having waited over two years for the debt to be repaid, the casino finally took legal action on March 30. The lawsuit accuses Offset of breach of contract, fraud, and related claims.
A representative for the rapper said he was working towards a resolution, according to TMZ. In the wake of his shooting, former NFL wide receiver Dez Bryant also said the rapper owes him $8,000 in gambling debts. Additionally, radio personality Ebro Darden alleges Offset owes him $5,000 from a losing Super Bowl wager.
Gambling Debt Allegedly Led to Shooting
It was also allegedly gambling debts that led to Offset being shot outside another casino, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida.
The rapper allegedly owes Lil Tjay $10,000 from a wager. Amid a dispute between the two performers, police allege one of Lil Tjay’s associates shot Offset in the leg last week.
Lil Tjay was arrested and booked into the Broward County Jail on a misdemeanor disorderly conduct-affray charge. He was released on Tuesday.
Offset, meanwhile, has since been released from the hospital. He appeared at his first show since the shooting on Saturday in Arkansas, coming onto the stage in a wheelchair before rising to perform.
