Although Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed a measure allowing the state’s 15 riverboat casinos to move 1,200 from their current berth space onto land, Louisiana Casino Association Executive Director Wade Duty said it will be at least six months before any casino actually moves. Duty said due to regulatory, design and financing requirements, “I would not look for anybody to have any concrete vision of how this will ultimately look from an investor standpoint until the start of next year.”
Duty said the new law allowing riverboat casinos to move ashore is the first change the state since casino gambling was legalized in 1991. “You’re going to see hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in new structures. You’re going to see additional jobs that come with this and ultimately greater tax revenue for the state. Obviously with the 21.5 percent tax rate, if the casinos are generating great revenue then Louisiana’s portion of that increases concurrently,” he said.
Chad Disante, poker room manager at Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, also agreed with Duty’s time frame. He said, “It’ll be at least six months before the first two or three riverboat casinos likely interested in making the move will be able to file an application with the state Gaming Control Board. Even the massive casino/hotel resorts constructed over watery sloughs to technically comply with state law, like L’Auberge Baton Rouge, will have to wait half a year before they can legally switch off their circulating paddle wheels, usually stowed in some out-of-the-way closet, that also were required by law.”
State Senator Ronnie Johns said the Shreveport-Bossier City market will benefit the most from land-based casinos since that area competes with Oklahoma, where Indian tribes are building huge casinos. Casinos in that area also attract a large share of players from Texas and Arkansas.
Disante said poker players from those states can look forward to bigger events as casinos move ashore. Horseshoe has plans to greatly expand its poker offerings and make use of the casino’s Riverdome concert facility, he said. “We are excited about new opportunities that come with this newly passed legislation. Our poker room is now able to host large-scale, land-based tournaments and is no longer confined to a restricted gaming space. Our guests will see more legendary events at Horseshoe Bossier City with the World Series of Poker and RunGood Poker Series,” which will be held October 2-7.
The Golden Nugget in Lake Charles also is planning to expand beyond its six poker tables. President of Gaming Operations Gerry Del Prete said, “We are thankful for the legislation being passed and that lawmakers agreed this was an opportunity for the state of Louisiana. We are optimistic this will improve the guest experience for all of our poker players. We look forward to offering our poker players a large poker tournament similar to those held at the other Golden Nugget casino locations. It levels the playing field with casinos in Mississippi and Oklahoma that have been able to offer their poker players an expanded tournament experience.”
