Louisiana’s largest new casino project made a splash in the blue Bossier City skyline Thursday when the first Live! Casino & Resort sign was hoisted above the hotel.
“This just makes it more real,” said Joshua Robinson, vice president of marketing for the resort, which will be the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market. “Every day the property looks different, and it’s great to see it evolving.”
Robinson, a Shreveport native with extensive casino resort experience in Louisiana, said construction on the $300 million property remains on schedule.
The big question: When will Live! Casino and Hotel, a property owned by Cordish Companies, open in Bossier City?
“I keep telling everyone early 2025 – not as early as January but not as late as June,” said Robinson, laughing.
Though Cordish is keeping its specific target date under wraps, the company has plans to open sometime in the first quarter.
Cordish’s top executives have said they intend for the new Live! Casino to be a destination resort that will attract conventions and tourists from beyond Louisiana’s borders.
“It’s going to have a quality and energy that when you walk into this property, you’ll feel like you’re in a premier casino and resort in the top gaming markets, including Las Vegas,” said Jon Cordish, a partner with The Cordish Companies, in a previous interview with USA Today Network.
Robinson said customers will experience “a wow factor” when they walk in the door, from the gaming floor to the entertainment venues to the restaurants like The Prime Rib and Luk Fu.
“It’s going to be a fully immersive entertainment destination,” he said.
Cordish said the project will create 750 permanent gaming and hospitality jobs with an annual payroll exceeding $30 million in addition to 750 construction jobs.
More:Cordish adds familiar face to senior management team at new Bossier City casino
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.