Fortunately, Rock Ventures LLC intends to treat Higbee with respect. It has partnered with Caesars Horseshoe, a brand of Caesars Entertainment Inc. in Las Vegas, to open the casino in early 2012.

Early architectural renderings, unveiled Thursday at a press conference by Rock Ohio Caesars Cleveland LLC, show that the company wants to highlight the Higbee Building’s elegant architecture in a classy, understated way.

Exterior signs promoting the Horseshoe brand look subtle in the renderings, not vulgar. Lighting fixtures will beam exclamatory wands of light up the facades to accentuate cornices and pilasters.

Translucent screens will be installed behind windows on the first and second floors to obscure slot machines and gaming tables from outside view. The screens will give passersby a sense of motion and activity inside, but without being too obvious about it.

Casino gambling, made possible in Cleveland and three other Ohio cities by voters in 2009, will have a presence on Public Square, but it won’t be in your face.

It looks like it will fit in nicely in downtown Cleveland, and the North Coast will finally have a casino in Ohio.