SLIDELL, La. (AP) - The holder of the license for a northeast Louisiana casino is in discussions about a move to southeast Louisiana, where it hopes to develop a $250 million casino and resort in south Louisiana.
The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reports that Los Angeles-based Peninsula Pacific Entertainment - also known as P2E - says it has started discussions about the project with officials in St. Tammany Parish.
The project faces multiple legal hurdles. For instance, St. Tammany voters would have to undo a 1996 referendum in which they rejected casinos and video poker. The Legislature would have to vote to put such a measure on the ballot. State Gaming Control Board permission also would be needed.
P2E holds the license for the DiamondJacks riverboat casino in Bossier City and wants to move it to a more profitable location, the newspaper reported.
The project would be on a waterfront site near Slidell. The proposal includes a 250-room hotel and would cover about 50 acres.
P2E chief executive Brent Stevens said Monday that among the site’s advantages are the proximity to Lake Pontchartrain, a marina and Interstate 10.
More than a decade ago, former Parish President Kevin Davis faced strong opposition when he floated the idea of a gaming complex in the Slidell area.
But current Parish President Mike Cooper said he thinks public sentiment has changed.
DiamondJacks in Bossier has been closed since last year. It’s license is for one of 15 state riverboat casinos. A 2018 change in state law allows gambling operations on land instead of restricting them to water.
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