Live! Casino & Hotel will boast 47,000 square feet of gaming space.

Reimagined casino promises to be a game changer

A substantial crowd gathered in what was once the front parking lot of Diamond Jack’s Casino and Hotel in Bossier City to mark the official extreme makeover of the property into what many call a transformational moment in Bossier City history.

The crowd was on hand to witness the groundbreaking for Live! Casino & Hotel, scheduled to open in 2025, featuring 47,000 square feet of gaming space housing over a thousand slot machines, electronic table games and more than 40 live-action table games.

But this venue promises to be about more than gambling. It will boast a 550-room resort hotel, pool and fitness center. It will also feature a 25,000-square-foot multi-purpose event center for conventions, entertainment, meetings and social gatherings. Thirty thousand square feet of dining venues, including nationally acclaimed dining and entertainment brands, are also slated for the property.

Behind the ambitious project is LRGC Gaming Investors, LLC, an affiliate of The Cordish Companies, which has owned and managed gaming and entertainment for over 110 years. Company principal Jon Cordish briefed the crowd on the project.

An artist’s conception of Live! Casino & Hotel.

“It’s an incredible milestone for the company and, hopefully, for Bossier City, as well,” he said. “This is going to be the first land-based casino in this market.

There’s not much I can guarantee you in life, but I can guarantee you this is going to be a game changer and set a new standard in this market and help transform it into a true destination and regional entertainment attraction.”

Cordish reported that Live! properties around the country include casinos, resorts, hotels, residential development, sports development, entertainment districts and dining brands. He said 55 million visitors come to Live! branded attractions.

“For decades, we have built award-winning, transformative projects that have created generation change in the markets we’re in. Our intention and commitment is to do exactly the same thing here in Bossier,” Cordish added.

Rod Norton, president of Cordish Gaming, told the crowd, “We’re expecting to generate over $35 million in the first five years in tax payments for our gaming operations. Almost $170 million for the state in that same time.

“We will have over 700 construction jobs on this site over the next year. We’re estimating in the neighborhood of 700 jobs [in the operation phase], including every job that you can imagine – finance, marketing, human resources, information technology, food and beverage, security and surveillance, and many more.” Norton added that residents would get first preference in hiring for those positions.

Bossier City Mayor Thomas Chandler took the podium to thank the Cordish Group. “Thank you for not only seeing the great potential that our community has, but thank you for the confidence to invest in that potential. We will work with, and fully support, Louisiana Live! A new chapter in our city awaits, and we are all now eager and ready to turn the page.”

Dist. 37 Senator Barrow Peacock called the new facility a “grand slam.”

“This is a win for us in Bossier City and the great state of Louisiana. You’ve made a great bet on the great state of Louisiana.”

The property will feature 30,000 square feet of venues, including nationally acclaimed dining and entertainment brands.

Dist. 39 Senator-Elect Sam Jenkins added, “I wanted to lend my voice of appreciation to the Cordish Group for what you are doing for this area. What I’m most impressed with is their commitment to bringing jobs to this area. We need to support our gaming industry. It boosts our economy. It hires a lot of people and puts them to work. Jobs are very transformational. Jobs lift people out of poverty, it brings self-respect, it creates new home ownership.

“Just know that you have valuable partners in the state legislature that support your efforts.”

Ronnie Johns, chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, added, “[To the Cornish Companies] your reputation throughout this country is absolutely impeccable, and we feel honored that you have chosen Bossier City to expand your footprint. To the entire Cordish family, to Rob Norton and your entire team, we thank you for making such a huge investment in Louisiana with your Live! brand.

“I will go on record today to say you will not only be successful, but you will help grow this northwest Louisiana gaming market.

“You think the mayor’s happy; I’m a lot happier than he is,” Johns said.

The company plans to hold pre-opening community-based job fairs to fill positions at the facility as well as job placement workshops. It will offer online job postings, recruitment services, and community college and university partnerships for job placement.

More employment and general information are available at www.LiveCasinoLA.com

Construction has already begun on the facility’s transformation, and Jon Cordish had a prediction for the gathering.

“We see our job, primarily, over the next year or so to make sure none of you, when you come back for the grand opening, will recognize this place in a good way; and I’m certain we are going to execute on it knowing the quality of the team that we’ve got.”

25,000-square-foot multi-purpose event center for conventions and social gatherings.