Louisiana Casinos
(Closures)
Unfortunately, New Orleans was overestimated for the amount of riverboats needed. Just about all of the unsuccessful riverboats were relocated to Lake Charles and Shreveport/Bossier City to draw gamblers from Texas (until an Indian Casino closer to Dallas/Ft. Worth opened in March 2005 in Thackerville, Oklahoma) and Arkansas which do not have casinos anywhere near the Louisiana border.
New Orleans Closures:
Look at what you've missed!
- Flamingo Casino
(opened: February 1994, closed: September 1997)
Flamingo Casino in New Orleans was a joint partnership between Hilton and New Orleans Paddlewheels. They had originally planned to move to Shreveport but Hilton dropped the idea in mid 1997 when the planned land based Harrah's Casino across the street might not be opening (Harrah's eventually opened on October 30, 1999). Also, the cost of setting up shop in Shreveport was higher than originally projected. New Orleans Paddlewheels (dba Shreveport Paddlewheels) eventually teamed up with Hollywood Casino on their new $185 million riverboat casino entertainment resort with a new 30,000 square foot riverboat in Shreveport which opened in December 2000.
- Circus Circus (Chalmette, LA)
(was scheduled to open in November 1995)
Sold to Horseshoe Casino and moved to Bossier City to replace their smaller riverboat.
- Harrah's New Orleans Casino (Temporary land based facility)
(opened: May 1995, closed: November 1995)
The permanent facility at 8 Canal St. opened on October 28, 1999.
The interior only of the temporary facility was featured on the 01/29/1997 episode of Orleans on CBS. It looked liked they rigged up false windows to make it look like they were on a riverboat while they were actually on land.
- River City Casino- Crescent City Queen
(opened: April 1995, closed: June 1995)
The riverboat and its license bought by Casino Magic (later renamed as Boomtown Casino) but the riverboat is too wide to fit through the Red River locks. The license has been transferred to a smaller riverboat now operating in Bossier City. The CCQ riverboat was resold to Boomtown Casino in Harvey to replace their smaller riverboat. This means the Crescent City Queen (now renamed Boomtown Belle II) stays in the Crescent City! Hey Boomtown Casino! Please hire me! I was a Blackjack dealer on the CCQ during its short life at River City. The CCQ is like home sweet home to me.
The Crescent City Queen was featured in an episode of The Big Easy, a USA Network original program. The interior only of the same riverboat was featured on the 01/08/1997 two hour pilot episode of Orleans on CBS. The interior is actually larger than the exterior of the fictional Lady Orleans Casino (looks like the non-gaming Steamboat Natchez in our reality). They're doing a "Doctor Who" on us!
- River City Casino- Grand Palais
(opened: March 1995, closed: June 1995)
- Crown Casino (St. Rose, LA)
(was scheduled to open in April 1995)
- Showboat Star Casino
(opened: November 1993, closed: March 1995)
Sold to Players Island Casino and moved to Lake Charles as their second riverboat. (Players Island was bought by Harrah's in 2000.) Bally's Casino Lakeshore Resort took over Showboat Star Casino's old berth since they were having a difficult time trying to find their own berth.
Other Closures:
- Hollywood Casino (Shreveport, LA)
(opened: December 2000, closed: OCtober 2005)
- Harrah's Shreveport Casino
(opened: April 1994, closed: May 2004)
LOUISIANA CASINOS
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Last modified on Thursday, February 23, 2006.