Operator News
US – The Cordish Companies approved to buy Diamond Jacks Casino and operate in Bossier City
By Phil - 20 October 2023
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board has unanimously granted LRGC Gaming Investors, LCC, an affiliate of The Cordish Companies, the necessary regulatory approvals required to become a gaming operator in the State.
The approval clears the way for Cordish to finalize the acquisition of Diamond Jacks Casino & Hotel in Bossier City and begin its transformation into a world-class Live! branded casino resort and entertainment destination. Central to the redevelopment is the construction of the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market. In addition to fully renovating the hotel rooms and public space, Cordish plans to develop a brand new, land-based casino to replace the existing casino riverboat. Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is scheduled to open in 2025.
“We’re grateful to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board for their approval and thank them for their consideration and enthusiastic support through this process,” said Joe Weinberg, Managing Partner, The Cordish Companies. “Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana will be a transformative development that will bring a first-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hospitality experience, create significant new jobs, and generate millions of dollars in economic benefits for the community. We are extremely excited to continue moving forward with this project and deliver a world-class destination to the region.”
“The Louisiana Gaming Control Board is pleased to announce the approval of The Cordish Companies’ acquisition of the license from the former Diamond Jacks property in Bossier City,” said Ronnie Johns, Chairman, Louisiana Gaming Control Board. “Cordish has an exceptional reputation in providing first rate casino experiences as well as hospitality and entertainment venues across the country. We are pleased with their decision to bring their Live! brand to the State of Louisiana. We feel comfortable that their commitment to a first class $270m project will help grow the Bossier City/Shreveport gaming market. We welcome The Cordish Companies and look forward to working with them to bring this project to a reality to open sometime in 2025.”
During the public hearing to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, Cordish officials presented an overview of the plans for the new Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, which represents an investment of $270+ million. The world-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hotel destination will feature more than 47,000-square-feet of gaming space including 1,000+ slots and electronic table games and 40+ live action table games, a sportsbook, an upscale 550-room hotel, resort pool and fitness center, a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose Event Center for top name entertainment, meeting, conventions, non-profit and social gatherings, structured and surface parking and 30,000-square-feet of best-in-class dining entertainment venues including 6+ new food and beverage outlets featuring nationally acclaimed concepts Sports & Social and PBR Cowboy Bar; Luk Fu, an Asian restaurant; a fine dining steakhouse; and more.
The development of Live! Casino & Hotel in Bossier City continues Cordish’s vast expansion across markets in the South Central and Southeast regions of the U.S. including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas where the Company currently has over $1 billion under construction adjacent to its Texas Live! development in the Arlington Entertainment District in North Texas. This month, the Company opened Nashville Live!, a 50,000 square foot, five-level experience in the heart of downtown Nashville on 2nd Avenue.
