The state of Louisiana boasts more than two dozen casinos, many of which are located along the Red River in Shreveport and Bossier City, and along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.
The region’s gaming industry is on the upswing, with two new casino resorts built in the past year. The meetings market is a major target for several of these properties, and they roll out the red carpet with glitz, entertainment, fine dining, guest rooms and meeting space in spades. Casino resorts streamline the planning experience and allow attendees to segue smoothly from daytime to playtime without leaving the premises.
Baton Rouge
More planners are beginning to choose Baton Rouge as a casino resort destination.
“The gaming hotels have brought a new feature to the city: an all-inclusive entertainment venue,” says Geraldine Bordelon, director of sales for Visit Baton Rouge. “These hotels sometimes serve as the sole purpose for the group being in Baton Rouge. They’re one-stop venues.”
For those who take their fun seriously, there’s good news. This year, a new license began allowing casino properties to serve alcohol all night, while other local bars must stop at 2 a.m. It may be worth pushing that 8 a.m. meeting.
The 205-room L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge opened in September 2012 and quickly caught event planners’ attention. Its 13,000-square-foot event center can be divided into three spaces, and the outdoor festival grounds can welcome 2,500. It also offers some unique venues.
“Planners can schedule a social, luncheon or conference in the historic Chatsworth Room, finished with artifacts from the nearby plantation home,” says Katelyn Thompson, catering and convention services manager. “When it comes time to unwind, our guests love to escape to the rooftop pool.”
The Chatsworth Room can accommodate 140. The rooftop pool can host gatherings as large as 125. It features cabanas, poolside dining and cocktail service.
Entertainment options include nearly 1,500 slot machines and 50 table games, as well as live concerts and the “social music bar” Edge, with outdoor seating and views of the Mississippi.PageBreak
The 278-room Belle of Baton Rouge is located downtown, across from Baton Rouge River Center. The property offers more than 17,000 square feet of meeting space as well as a spectacular, 14,000-square-foot glass atrium perfect for receptions. Apart from gaming, entertainment options include live music and comedy shows, three restaurants and a bar.
The party is always hopping at Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge. The property has 27,000 square feet of gaming space, and dining options include an elegant steakhouse and the aptly named Epic Buffet. Hollywood’s Boogie Nights nightclub is closing this fall, but the space is slated to reopen with a new entertainment feature in 2014.
The 531-room Paragon Casino Resort is located roughly one-third of the way between Baton Rouge and Shreveport-Bossier City in the town of Marksville. Owned by the Tunica-Biloxi tribe, Paragon can welcome groups as large as 2,000. Event spaces include an 11,000-square-foot exhibit hall and four ballrooms. Amenities include a full-service spa and shops selling gourmet foods and crafts handmade in Louisiana. The property has more than 64,000 square feet of gaming space.
Shreveport-Bossier City
The casino resorts of Shreveport and Bossier City offer Vegas-style glamor with a nod to Louisiana flavor, but they also provide value for budget.
“Local casinos offer competitive rental space as well as food and beverage,” says Dianna Douglas, regional sales manager for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. “Sam’s Town Casino and DiamondJacks Casino Resort, specifically, target meeting groups, and our sales team works with them to meet the client’s budget and service expectations.”
The 514-room Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino was completely renovated last year. The Shreveport property offers an 18,000-square-foot ballroom that opens onto a riverside terrace and can be divided into eight separate spaces. There are also three meeting rooms, each measuring more than 1,000 square feet. When it’s time to unwind, Sam’s Town boasts three floors of gaming action and a variety of live entertainment. However, it’s the service that makes Sam’s Town special.
“It’s the personalized attention when planning and executing the event that sets us apart,” says JoDee Minter, director of sales at the property. “Our team takes great pride in delivering a top-notch event, no matter the size and scope. That has everything to do with so many repeat clients.”
DiamondJacks Casino & Resort in Bossier City offers more than 500 guest rooms and 22,000 square feet of meeting space. After hours, there is 30,000 square feet of gaming action, three restaurants and live music and dancing at Legends Theatre.
Jimmy Buffet himself played the grand opening of Margaritaville Resort Casino this summer. The brand-new Bossier City property has one meeting room and an 850-seat theater, along with plenty of personality. Among its four dining venues, Margaritaville Restaurant offers hourly volcano floor shows, and Jimmy’s Seafood & Steak features views of the Red River. The property has 395 guest rooms and a 30,000-square-foot casino.PageBreak
”Meetings at Margaritaville are an experience,” says Brittany Matthews, hotel sales manager. “We offer escapism and a fun environment unique to other meeting venues.”
Gaming giant Caesars Entertainment Corporation has two properties in Bossier: Horseshoe Bossier City and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs.
“One of the great advantages of booking with Caesars Entertainment is our Alternative Venues program,” says Scott Johnson, marketing manager at Caesars. “It allows planners to incorporate non-traditional venues like restaurants and lounges into their program and have a portion of their spend incorporated into their food and beverage minimums.”
Caesars also offers a rewards program that enables planners to earn points for every dollar spent. Points can be redeemed for shopping or on future meetings. In addition, planners are automatically eligible for Diamond status, which grants them and designated associates exclusive perks reserved for high-level customers.
Harrah’s Louisiana Downs presents live thoroughbred racing and offers more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 6,860-square-foot Sky Room overlooking the track.
Horseshoe Bossier City offers 15,000 square feet of meeting space, including the 11,522-square-foot Riverdome, its cutting-edge entertainment venue. The property recently completed an $8.5 million renovation on its 606 guest rooms.
The 403-room Eldorado Resort Casino has more than 6,000 square feet of meeting space. Its nightlife venues Celebrity Lounge and Allure Ultra Lounge offer hookah service, a popular trend for socializing in Shreveport.
Meanwhile, Boomtown Casino Bossier City offers 187 guest rooms and 1,500 square feet of meeting space.
