Isle of Capri Lake Charles moving to Land
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board approves plans for Lake Charles based Isle of Capri riverboat casino to move on land, the first facility to make the jump 18 months after the Legislature ok'd such moves.
The plan is to shutter the riverboat and build a 112.7 million dollar facility right nearby. Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Jones says the plan is a major expansion in food offerings.
Eldorado's land-based facility will occupy approximately 72,000 square feet of gaming space and will feature 1,271 slot machines, up from 1,154 abroad the riverboat, and 46 table games, up from 36. The land-based operation will also include a VIP Lounge and restaurants with views of Lake Charles.
The Isle of Capri, owned by Eldorado Resorts, will be the first riverboat casino in Louisiana to move inland, following a change in the law last year. The law still requires it to be within 1,200 feet of its designated riverboat area.
The updated casino will have new restaurants, lounges, and entertainment and 72,000 square feet of gaming space.
Eldorado plans to attract visitors with fine dining and a number of other food and beverage options, including a brewery, a noodle bar, and a new facility with three more bars. The casino operator told Louisiana gaming regulators that it is in negotiations with local chefs to open their own restaurants within its Lake Charles property's food hall.
Construction on the land-based casino is expected to kick off by the end of January. About 300 construction jobs are set to be created. The project is scheduled to be completed in May 2021. While 22 marine-based jobs will be lost once the casino moves on land, the number of overall jobs will rise to 804, up from 735, when the land-based facility opens doors.