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An aging Louisiana casino that closed during the pandemic and never reopened is about to undergo a massive transformation thanks to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB).
The LGCB approved a gaming operator license for The Cordish Companies, a well-known developer in the gaming space that will turn Diamond Jacks Casino & Hotel in Bossier City into Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana.
The Cordish Companies plans to spend $270 million on overhauling the riverside site. The location will be the company’s fourth Live! casino resort, adding to Hanover, Maryland, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh properties.
Latest news a positive one for aging Louisiana casino
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Diamond Jacks closed its doors like many casinos nationwide. However, unlike other casinos, it never opened its doors for business again.
Recent photos of the Louisiana casino reveal an unkempt property that looks far past its prime. Cordish is the third company to own Diamond Jacks in the past three years.
The original owner, Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, sold the property to Foundation Gaming. The LGCB approved the sale at the beginning of this year.
Diamond Jacks was slated for demolition as Foundation Gaming planned to open an overhauled casino in 2024.
However, Foundation’s plans never transpired, and in April, The Cordish Companies bought the property. LGCB Chairman Ronnie Johns said the board was “pleased” to approve Cordish’s license:
“Cordish has an exceptional reputation in providing first-rate casino experiences as well as hospitality and entertainment venues across the country. We are pleased with their decision to bring their Live! brand to the State of Louisiana.
We feel comfortable that their commitment to a first-class $270 million project will help grow the Bossier City/Shreveport gaming market. We welcome The Cordish Companies and look forward to working with them to bring this project to a reality.”
Cordish anticipates that Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana will open in 2025.
The Cordish Companies renovation will create a first-class experience
Cordish, which operates Live!-branded casinos in multiple states, has big plans for the Diamond Jacks site:
- 45,000 square feet of gaming space
- More than 1,000 slots and electronic table games
- More than 40 live-action table games
- 550-room hotel
- Resort pool and fitness center
- 25,000-square-foot event center
- Surface parking and a parking structure
- 30,000 square feet of dining space
The casino resort’s dining locations include Sports & Social, a national sports bar concept with a menu designed by James Beard-nominated chef John Suley, and PBR Cowboy Bar, a country-and-western restaurant with a mechanical bull. Additionally, the casino’s Luk Fu will offer Southeast Asian cuisine.
Managing Partner Joe Weinberg said in a Cordish Companies press release that the company is “grateful” for the LGCB’s decision:
“Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana will be a transformative development that will bring a first-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hospitality experience, create significant new jobs, and generate millions of dollars in economic benefits for the community. We are extremely excited to continue moving forward with this project and deliver a world-class destination to the region.”
