In Marksville, Louisiana, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Paragon Casino Resort, originally the Grand Casino Avoyelles, on June 3. Tribal Chairman Marshall Pierite told guests he wanted to share “this amazing journey , not only for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe and the Paragon but for all of Central Louisiana.” He added, “I found out today, we’ve had 50 million customers come to Paragon over the last 25 years. I want to applaud all of them, because it’s for that patronage and for all of our associates who have a spirit of excellence day in and day out.” Pierite added the casino has employed more than 1,000 people since it opened in 1994.
At the celebration, several speakers honored the memory of the late Tribal Chairman Earl Barbry Sr. “His bold vision is responsible for us being here today,” Pierite said, noting Barbry led the tribe through its lawsuit to recover archaeological artifacts, gain federal recognition and build the casino.
Originally 103,000 square feet, the property now totals more than 1 million square feet, following a major expansion project in 2007. Also the tribe hired the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut to manage the Paragon.
Marksville Mayor John Lemoine said the casino has had “a great impact on Marksville with the jobs it has created and bringing people to the city. It has put Marksville on the map.”
