Local casino hits the jackpot with a history of success in Shreveport

There have been a lot of changes on the Shreveport-Bossier City riverfront in the past 25 years. Casinos have been established, flourished, sold and restructured as new venues while the Red River flowed placidly along.

One target of those changes was the property currently occupied by Bally’s Shreveport Casino & Hotel. It opened in 2000 as Hollywood Casino before being purchased in 2005 and operated as Eldorado Resort Casino. Finally, in 2020, Bally’s purchased the property and manages it still.

Tony Rohrer, vice president and general manager, told 318 Forum, “What’s more important than how the property is different, is how the property is the same, which boils down to the relationships that our team members have built with our customers and the community since day one. We have a large number of 20-plus-year team members that our customers come to visit. Not only do we have a strong local following, we have customers traveling many miles, often bypassing other casino options, to visit our employees here at Bally’s Shreveport.”

Rohrer said all of the local gaming venues provide similar amenities. There is a variety of dining options at each, as well as hotel accommodations, entertainment options, promotions and gaming. What sets each apart, he said, is the property’s reputation for friendliness and “the comfortable feeling of coming home” that makes a difference.

On tap for the 25th-anniversary celebrations are several events, including a $250,000 Pick Your Ride event with 325 winners between January and March, special parties all year, another promotion planned for April through June, and a commemorative gift available later in the year. On the restaurant, hotel and retail sides, there are things like dining specials on the 25th of each month, signature drinks and a 25% discount on items with Bally’s logo in the gift shop. You can check out the website to see various services from LaSpa with 25% off. You can also receive a $25 dining credit with any hotel stay booked online. There are details on all of those things online at BallysShreveport.com.

Bally’s also plans to honor a different charity each month with a $2,500 check. At the end of the year, they are planning a special reception of charities and media, details to be announced.

Rohrer said plans call for refreshing the property with new carpeting, all-new seating for slot and table games customers, new table games and a new casino layout on the main casino floor. Additionally, they are making upgrades to their hotel rooms.

The company will be looking inward as well, according to Rohrer, celebrating team members throughout the year. Twenty-eight employees have been with the property since it opened on Dec. 20, 2000. Those team members will be honored with a special event, a commemorative gift and photo shoots.

All team members will get lapel pins, monthly appreciation events, and special T-shirt and jeans days on the 25th of each month.

The group has already begun a series of partnerships with local charities to run throughout the year, to give back to the community that has supported them for a quarter of a century.

In January, Rohrer announced, “As we kick off our 25th Anniversary Celebration at Bally’s Shreveport Casino & Hotel, we’re proud to partner with Purchased: Not for Sale this month [January] to give back to our incredible community with a $2,500 donation.” Purchased: Not for Sale is a local organization that gives rescue, relationship, recovery and resources to women and children experiencing sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.

The company also hosted an awareness meeting as an opportunity for Bally’s team members to volunteer, and 60 of their team members participated. Rohrer said various initiatives are planned for the rest of the anniversary year to support local organizations and causes.

Bally’s Shreveport Casino & Hotel was voted “Best Casino” by Casino Player Magazine and “Best Overall Casino” by Strictly Slots Magazine. It features award-winning dining and nightlife outlets, a full-service spa, a 400-room hotel, approximately 1,150 state-of-the-art slot machines and 38 table games.