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Riverboat casinos in Louisiana could someday be naught but a memory of a bygone era. The Treasure Chest Casino in Kenner, Louisiana is part of making riverboat gambling establishments a relic in the state.
On May 12, the Treasure Chest held a ceremony to celebrate an important part of its transition from the Mississippi River to dry land being complete. While the casino itself is on schedule, adjacent developments in Kenner are experiencing delays.
Treasure Chest Casino construction moving right along
Ka’Cell El-Mansura of WGNO reported that the final steel beam for the new casino was in place as of Friday. According to Rob Masson of WVUE, the involved parties commemorated that milestone with a ceremony.
Construction continues on the new casino, which will soon join the fray of Louisiana casinos to follow the steps of the evolution of life on this planet and leave the water for a terrestrial habitat. When complete, the new Treasure Chest will boast:
- 10,000 square feet dedicated to events space
- 47,000 square feet of gaming space
- Attached parking
- a FanDuel-branded physical sportsbook
- Four bars and restaurants
Boyd Gaming, which operates the casino, hopes to open the property early in 2024. The construction project’s manager said that the local workforce is about to triple to meet that time frame.
The Treasure Chest isn’t the only Louisiana casino making this move. The Cordish Companies also plan to move the former Diamond Jacks Casino onto land in Bossier City. Louisiana approved allowing riverboat casinos to opt to operate on land in 2018.
The Cordish Companies don’t expect to open that facility until sometime in 2025, however. Currently, the only land-based casino in Louisiana is Caesars in New Orleans. The Treasure Chest could become part of an exclusive group in 2024, therefore.
It might not open as the centerpiece of a broader expansion, though.
Residential and retail project’s future is in doubt
Masson also reports that Atlantis Gaming planned to construct a new marina along with residential and retail space on an adjoining plot of land in Kenner. While the work on a boat launch on that land is going well, that’s the end of the good news on that front.
Masson says that construction on the residential and retail part of that project is on hold. Kenner Mayor Michael Glaser told Masson that his concern for the project revolved around financing the development. If that project does not move forward, it could have an impact on the Treasure Chest.
While there is no guarantee that foot traffic brought in by the planned shops in the area would have increased activity at Treasure Chest, there will be no chance of that happening if that retail space never opens. The same premise applies to the planned condominiums.
Regardless, Boyd hopes that the Treasure Chest will bring in guests all on its own. Boyd could open the Treasure Chest in just a few months.
