Casino News

$250m casino for Baton Rouge

2006-11-02 15:50:45

A third Baton Rouge casino, costing $250 million, has been proposed by the Pinnacle Entertainment company.

The resort, which would constitute a riverboat casino and a hotel complex, would be in direct competition with the two casinos already in the area.

However, there are a number of hurdles for Pinnacle to overcome before construction can go ahead. The proposal must first gain approval from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council, and a local election of parish voters.

The scheme has now gone before the Gaming Board for approval.

The Baton Rouge casinos have been heavily influenced by recent meteorological disasters, with Pinnacle only obtaining its casino license following Harrah's decision not to rebuild its own casino following heavy damage from Hurricane Rita.

Meanwhile the forced relocation of Louisiana populations following Hurricane Katrina meant that the region's two current casinos saw their takings almost double.

Pinnacle already owns casinos in Nevada, Indiana, Argentina and the Bahamas, and plans to build a $1.5 billion resort in Atlantic City next year.


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