Posted on: October 22, 2024, 09:28h.
Final up to date on: October 22, 2024, 09:35h.
The Belle of Baton Rouge within the Louisiana capital metropolis has reopened after a five-day shutdown.
On Monday, the Belle of Baton Rouge took its first bets above land, because the on line casino opened a brief brick-and-mortar gaming room with 220 slot machines and three dwell seller desk video games. The 9,775-square-foot facility is open each day from 10 a.m. till 2 a.m.
The Belle of Baton Rouge completely shuttered its riverboat final Thursday after 30 years in operation. The Catfish City on line casino boat spanned 28,500 sq. ft providing 350 slots and 10 tables.
The riverboat was considered one of two on line casino licenses allotted by the Louisiana Gaming Management Board — then referred to as the Louisiana Riverboat Gaming Fee — within the early Nineteen Nineties to town of Baton Rouge after state lawmakers handed laws to permit business playing on sure lakes and rivers.
Property Overhaul
The Queen On line casino & Leisure Inc., the Illinois-headquartered regional gaming firm that has casinos in Illinois, Iowa, and Louisiana, is the operator of the Belle of Baton Rouge. Together with the on line casino’s landlord, Penn Leisure’s Gaming and Leisure Properties, the corporate is amid a $141 million overhaul of the vacation spot that can lead to a brand new land-based on line casino with 25,000 sq. ft of gaming house.
The everlasting on line casino positioned at 103 France Avenue, anticipated to open within the fall of 2025, will embrace 750 slots, 24 tables, and a sportsbook. Two eating places and a dwell leisure venue will complement the gaming space.
The $141 million investment may also be used to completely renovate the prevailing 10-story lodge tower and its 242 guestrooms. The lodge has been shuttered for the reason that pandemic, with Queen officers saying its reintroduction “will contribute extra lodge room stock to downtown Baton Rouge.”
Inns in Baton Rouge repeatedly promote out throughout LSU Tigers residence soccer video games. The on line casino is lower than two miles north of the Louisiana State College Campus, and a mile south of the Louisiana State Capitol.
GLPI is bankrolling the majority of the challenge at $111 million. Queen On line casino & Leisure is overlaying the remaining $30 million.
As soon as full, Queen On line casino & Leisure will enter into a brand new lease settlement with GLPI at a price that can improve by 9% yearly. Phrases of the preliminary hire weren’t disclosed.
Queen Spending Massive
Queen On line casino & Leisure stays bullish on the regional gaming markets the place it operates. Managed by Customary Common, the identical non-public fairness agency behind Bally’s, Queen holds Baton Rouge’s different gaming license at The Queen Baton Rouge.
The Queen grew to become Baton Rouge’s first landside on line casino in August 2023 after the corporate spent $85 million to open a brick-and-mortar on line casino with 700 slots, 18 desk video games, and a DraftKings Sportsbook. The Queen Baton Rouge makeover moreover included renovating all 250 lodge guestrooms and bringing new eating places, together with Shaq’s Massive Rooster, to the advanced.
The Queen is a few mile north of The Belle, previous the State Capitol.
Final week, The Queen On line casino & Leisure broke floor on a land-based on line casino on the firm’s On line casino Queen Marquette in Iowa. The $12 million funding will change the aged riverboat with a 17K-square-foot on line casino that can embrace over 400 slots and a number of other desk video games.
