Hollywood Casino riverboat swap on hold

Plans to replace the Hollywood Casino riverboat with a newer, larger boat are on hold while the casino’s parent company watches the economy and the progress (or lack thereof) of Pinnacle’s River Road project, a Penn National Gaming spokeswoman says. Penn had previously said they were considering bringing a gaming boat from Lawrenceburg, Ind., to Baton Rouge, but never said whether Pinnacle’s pending arrival made that new investment more or less likely. Plans to replace the Belle of Baton Rouge also are off the table, at least for now, while Pinnacle plans to ask for a 90-day deadline extension at the Gaming Control Board’s Tuesday meeting. Some experts who have studied the local market say Baton Rouge can only support one or two casinos at most, while Pinnacle has argued all three casinos could survive here.—David Jacobs