Hollywood Casino will be the first in Baton Rouge and the second in Louisiana to move onto land. Isle of Capri in Lake Charles already has begun working on its land-based facility. Louisiana lawmakers passed legislation in 2018 allowing riverboat casinos to move off of waterways for the sake of safety.
“The fact that these riverboats are out on the Mississippi River, Hollywood and the Belle of Baton Rouge, there’s just a lot of safety factors out there,” said Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns. “The ships coming in, the barges on the river, a storm … You never know what’s going to happen.”
Hollywood Casino Vice President of Marketing Aaron Mollura noted construction on the new $60 million land-based facility will be completed in late 2022. It will feature new slots, a sportsbook and dining options.
“We’re going to put in a big sports bar. Big Chicken, that’s Shaquille O’Neal’s restaurant, will be in here. That’s what most of our guests are asking, they want to see a celebrity start walking around the property. And then, the boat is going to be sold and Viking River Cruises are going to start coming up,” Mollura said.
Johns added, “This is the right thing to do. And this is going to benefit the city of Baton Rouge tremendously. It’ll benefit the state of Louisiana as far as increased revenue from the tax base. Also, more employment. We’re excited. It’s a great day for Baton Rouge.”
