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Treasure Chest Casino riverboat closed its doors on June 1 and stopped taking bets at 11:59 p.m. The casino also announced it would open a new land-based casino in Kenner on June 6.
Even though the news of the riverboat closure dismayed its patrons, they are still looking forward to the new option of land-based entertainment coming to town near Lake Pontchartrain.
The riverboat casino at 4540 Williams Blvd. in Kenner is operated by Nevada-based Boyd Gaming Corp. It has been operating for about three decades since 1994. Its features included various gaming and slot machines, dining options, shows, and other forms of entertainment.
Key takeaways
- Treasure Chest Casino riverboat closed on June 1, with a new $100 million land-based casino opening in Kenner on June 6.
- Despite current prohibitions on online casinos in Louisiana, the new land-based casino aims to offset declines in riverboat casino revenues.
- The transition follows the 2018 law signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards, permitting riverboat casinos to move onshore.
$100M land-based casino to transform Kenner’s Laketown with expanded gaming
The land-based casino took about $100 million to construct and stands on one floor, twice the size of the riverboat. Some of its features include:
- 48,000-square-foot gambling hall
- 8,000 square feet of convention space
- Sports bar
- Four dining options, which will include a steak house
Excited about adding a grill to its dining options, Lisa Gares, the player development manager at Treasure Chest, said in an article by Nola.com, “There’s nowhere in Kenner to get a really good steak. Well, now you have somewhere.”
According to Rodney Miller, Treasure Chest’s director of marketing, the new casino is designed with high ceilings and an effective ventilation system; hence, smoking indoors will be permitted.
New Louisiana casino is a catalyst for economic growth and financial stability
In 2018, Edwards signed Senate Bill 316 into law, allowing riverboat casinos to operate onshore. Hence, the move to shore looks at fresh possibilities for Kenner’s Laketown development.
Kenner has historically relied heavily on the Treasure Chest for financial support, and authorities anticipate that the new land-based casino will greatly help the city’s finances.
In a letter, Mayor Michael Glaser said in his budget proposal for the next fiscal year that he expects the new land-based casino to spur economic growth.
“We anticipate this to be a catalyst for a surge in economic development, increasing sales tax, and increased riverboat fees, upon which Kenner heavily depends.”
Online casinos are illegal in Louisiana, and the discussion of legalization has not been much of a priority for its legislatures.
Nonetheless, according to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, revenue from the 15 riverboat casinos in April was $138.3 million, down both annually and monthly.
