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Pinnacle moves location of proposed casino

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

(From WAFB TV) - Pinnacle Entertainment says it has moved the location of its proposed casino in Baton Rouge and will ask for a July 21st election for voters to decide if the company should be allowed to open in the city. The company says the casino project would create nearly 1,200 jobs. The company says it now hopes to locate the casino just to the north of the site of its original proposal. The new location would be close to the Gardere Lane area, possibly including the 344-acre Chatsworth Plantation. The company has the Chatworth property under contract, it said. The original site, closer to Bluebonnet Extension, drew criticism from area residents who believed the casino would decrease their property values and increase traffic. Company spokeswoman Pauline Yoshihashi says, after looking at the scope of the project, Pinnacle decided to move the proposed site so they would have more room and ease concerns about traffic. The proposed 500-plus acre project would include a single-level casino, 300 room hotel, spa, pool, meeting and banquet facilities, and a championship golf course. A monorail-type system would be used to transport guests among the property's various amenities, the company said. Yoshihashi would not disclose a possible name for the casino or the estimated total cost of the project. If approved by voters, Pinnacle hopes to begin construction early next year and open the first phase of the project in late 2009 or early 2010, the spokeswoman said. Baton Rouge currently has two riverboat casinos, including the Belle of Baton Rouge and Hollywood Casino. The manager of Hollywood Casino has said in the past that his company would fight efforts to open a third riverboat in the city because he does not believe there is enough business to support three casinos in the area.

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