Hollywood Casino Breaks Ground on Baton Rouge Relocation Project

Updated On Aug 13, 2021 by Ella McDonald

Proposed Hollywood Casino, Baton Rouge DevelopmentHollywood Casino Baton Rouge is moving onto dry land. The casino recently broke ground on a massive relocation project transforming the parking lot located right next to the riverboat casino into a land-based gaming and entertainment complex.

The project, which has a starting budget of $60 million, is expected to be completed sometime next year.

The latest development comes in the wake of a 2018 law giving the green light to Louisiana’s riverboat casinos to move their operations onto land.

Hollywood Casino is the first in Baton Rouge to benefit from the law.

The property, which is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. (GPLI), will occupy 100,000 square feet of land and will house multiple facilities and amenities, including a single-level casino floor which will become the new home of riverboat casino’s existing slot machines and table games. The gaming facility will also include a sportsbook, complemented by a spacious sports bar.

In addition to that, a brand-new dining facility called the “Shaquille O’Neal Big Chicken Restaurant“, will also be built within the property, replacing Hollywood Casino’s existing Celebrity Grill.

Going land-based represents a new chapter for Hollywood Casino, which has been operating in Baton Rouge for 25 long years. The casino’s Vice President for Marketing Aaron Mollura said the relocation would transform the casino and make things even better. He went on to add that they have plans to upgrade the casino’s offerings to elevate the overall experience of their customers.

The casino will relocate to a single-floor property, with all of its offerings available on one floor, contrary to the existing three-storey riverboat casino. Mollura said this would offer more convenience to their patrons, as it would now be easier for them to get in and out of the establishment.

GPLI is also planning to launch new businesses soon, once the property becomes operational and the casino has successfully relocated. The existing vessel will then be sold, with Viking river cruises making stops at the original deck.

Louisiana To Benefit From New Project

Ronnie Johns, Chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, welcomed the latest development, saying the new property would tremendously benefit the city of Baton Rouge, and the state of Louisiana in general by generating more jobs for local residents and driving increased tax revenue for the state.

Hollywood Casino is expected to relocate to the new land-based property in late 2022. The Isle of Capri in Lake Charles also previously received the nod from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to move their operations onto land.

Ella McDonald Author

Worldwide gambling related news stories are what you will find being written by Ella, she has a keen interest however in UK and European based new stories relating to all gaming environments, and she is always prepared to ask the difficult questions many other journalists avoiding asking those in power.

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