Just a few months after purchasing Diamond Jack’s casino in Bossier City, Louisiana, The Cordish Companies officially broke ground on a new $270 million resort casino at the site of the old casino.
The property will become the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier City market and will follow branding of other Cordish casinos, becoming Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana.
“Today marks an incredibly special day for my family and The Cordish Companies as we continue to expand our Live! brand in the Southeast region of the country with the development of Live! Casino and Hotel Louisiana,” Cordish principal Jon Cordish said. “With the first land-based casino in the market, Live! Casino will be a transformative development that will bring a first-class gaming and entertainment experience to millions of visitors, create significant new jobs, and generate millions of dollars in economic benefits for the community for generations to come.”
Details on the New Louisiana Casino
The groundbreaking ceremony welcomed state and local leaders from government, the business community, and tourism. Cordish executives said the project “will set a new standard for development in the Ark-La-Tex region, bringing economic opportunity and inclusivity to residents.”
Scheduled to open in 2025, Live! Louisiana will feature more than 47,000 square-feet of gaming space including 1,000 slots and electronic table games and 40 table games. Other amenities include:
- Louisiana sportsbook
- a 550-room hotel, pool, and fitness center
- a 25,000-square-foot multi-purpose event center for entertainment, meetings, and conventions
- structured and surface parking
- 30,000 square feet of restaurants
The project is expected to generate $35 million in tax revenue for Bossier City and $168 million for the state within the first five years of operation. Annually, Cordish says the casino will generate $34 million in salaries and wages. The project will also create 750 new construction jobs and 750 permanent gaming and hospitality jobs.
Where Will the New Louisiana Casino be Located?
The property is located along the Red River, directly across from Shreveport. Louisiana first legalized riverboat casinos in 1993, but began allowing these properties to move on land in 2018. Live! will become one of the first properties to make that transition.
Real money Louisiana casinos in the Bossier City-Shreveport area not only attract gamblers from Louisiana but also from Texas and Arkansas. The new Live! is just 20 miles from the Texas border and 40 miles from the Arkansas border.
Live! Louisiana continues Cordish’s expansion across markets in the south central and southeast regions of the U.S. including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The company has projects of $1 billion under construction adjacent to the Texas Live! development in the Arlington Entertainment District in North Texas. In October, Cordish opened Nashville Live!, a 50,000 square foot, five-level experience.
The firm also specializes in upscale mixed-use, entertainment and casino resort destinations. The Live! brand is associated with casinos in Maryland and Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh and Philadelphia). The company also helped develop the two Florida Seminole Hard Rock casinos in Hollywood and Tampa.
