Cordish promises game-changing Live! Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana

Jon Cordish promised his family's renovation of the former Diamond Jacks Casino in Bossier City will transform the former property into a destination gambling, event and entertainment resort that will rival the top destinations in the country.

"It's going to have a quality and energy that when you walk into this property you'll feel like you're in a premier casino and resort in the top gaming markets, including Las Vegas," said Cordish, a principal with The Cordish Companies, in an interview with USA Today Network.

Cordish headlined a groundbreaking Wednesday in Bossier City to celebrate construction of the $270 million project that will carry the company's flagship brand Live! Casino and Resort, reviving what had been a shuttered property since 2020.

"I guarantee you this is going to be game-changing and set a new standard in the market," he said.

Among the highlights: Sports & Social sports bar and restaurant curated by James Beard Award nominee Chef John Suley; PBR Cowboy Bar; Luk Fu, a restaurant featuring the traditional flavors of Southeast Asia; and a fine dining steakhouse yet to be branded.

But Cordish also promises the project will pack an economic development punch for the community and its residents that will match the amenities for its guests, including 750 construction jobs and 750 permanent jobs.

"It will bring economic opportunities for all involved," said Rob Norton, president of Cordish's gaming division.

Cordish, a century-old family-owned company headquartered in Baltimore, has extensive international operations in gaming, entertainment, residential and hospitality. It operates casinos in Maryland, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Tampa and Hollywood, Fla.

Cordish's signature "Live!" entertainment districts are located in major markets like Arlington, where its Texas Live! district is nestled between the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park and the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium and anchored by a Loews hotel.

The company said it has more than $1 billion under construction adjacent to its Texas Live! development alone.

Bossier City Mayor Thomas Chandler called the project "the largest venture that has happened in our area in a long time."

State Rep. Sam Jenkins, who won a promotion to the Senate in an election last month, said the number of new jobs created "will be transformational."

And outgoing state Sen. Barrow Peacock reminded those at the groundbreaking that previous owners of the casino license, one of only 15 available in the state, tried twice to move the casino to St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes, but voters there turned them away.

"They tried to take this casino from us," Peacock said. "(Cordish) made a great bet on a great city."

And Louisiana Gaming Commission Chairman Ronnie Johns said he believes Cordish's project will actually grow what has been a declining gambling market in Shreveport-Bossier.

"There's no doubt the gaming market in Shreveport-Bossier has a bright future," Johns said. "To see this happening today is incredible."

Cordish has already dismantled and hauled off the old riverboat casino and will build the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market, made possible by a new state law allowing land-based properties.

Cordish expects to open the new Live! Casino in early 2025.