The Louisiana legislature legalized that option as a way to encourage the growth of Louisiana’s struggling casino market. The approval of El Dorado’s planned casino near Lake Charles is the first of many possible moves by riverboats onto land.
About 18 months ago, Louisiana lawmakers decided the state-regulated casinos outside New Orleans didn’t have to stay on the water. The new land-based casino will reportedly dwarf the riverboat it’s replacing by offering almost three times more space than the outgoing facility including around 120 more slots and seven more tables, the Advocate in Baton Rouge reported.Īdditionally, Eldorado’s aim is that the land-based casino will be easier and more convenient for customers, something the state seems to have considered paramount after 25 years of riverboat gambling. The first of Louisiana’s 15 riverboat casinos planning to move inland was approved by the Gaming Control Board in December, according to a recent Associated Press report.Įldorado Resorts plans to unveil its new $112.7 million casino space near the Isle of Capri riverboat in Westlake, a city in the western part of Louisiana near Lake Charles.
