These factors enhance the value of operating within Louisiana borders.

It fosters a stable, predictable marketplace, unlike come-all approaches in other states, Fertitta said. A hard cap guards against saturating the market. Louisiana law allows only 15 riverboat casino licenses. He not only needed to sell his idea to Louisiana regulators, but he had to sell it to his would-be competitors, L'Auberge's operators. that Tillman Fertitta wanted to make a statement with this project.'įertitta had to be impressive. 'It didn't take long for me to understand Tillman's vision,' said Louisiana Speaker of the House Chuck Kleckley. He believes he has a property that is unlike anything on the Gulf Coast, from Louisiana all the way to Mississippi.'īefore the ceremonial ribbon was cut at Golden Nugget, Fertitta drew praise from elected and appointed officials for his plan. Fertitta wants to do is not just slice the pie into slimmer slices,' said Ronnie Jones, chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

For everyone to meet goals and maintain current revenue streams, the market would need to expand by more than 50 percent. Golden Nugget Lake Charles is the manifestation of owner Tilman Fertitta's risky maneuver to obtain Louisiana's last casino license.įertitta refers to his new location as one of the nation's most appealing markets, but he's next door to an established, successful competitor with identical amenity offerings.īoth companies expect to exceed $25 million per month in revenue, executives said, and the Isle of Capri of Lake Charles has averaged more than $11 million per month over the past three years. L'Auberge, whose owners were in the unique position of choosing their competition, is the largest cog in the publicly traded company Pinnacle Entertainment. That's because both casinos' high-stakes goal is to rebrand an area dominated by refineries and petrochemical plants as a destination. Instead of cut-throat tactics, the emerging business environment consists of few quibbles and much collaboration. The casino operators know their success hinges on their ability to attract Beaumonters, Houstonians and other guests from beyond Louisiana's borders at a previously unseen volume. Texans like Harris are the rival casinos' marks in their thus-far cordial battle over gambling revenue.

Golden nugget lake charles