Horseshoe Casino Lake Charles holds opening ceremony

The former Isle of Capri Lake Charles has been closed for two years and reopened on Monday.

US.- Caesars Entertainment has held an opening event for Louisiana’s former Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino. The casino has come ashore to a new, land-based venue, Horseshoe Lake Charles, after being closed for two years. 

Following a ribbon cutting at 11.30am on Monday, record-breaking bettor Jim ‘Mattress Mack’ McIngvale placed the ceremonial first bet, wagering $1m on the Houston Cougars to win the NCAA basketball championship.

12NewsNow reported players from Texas, Louisiana and beyond attended. The resort is now fully open, including the hotel, restaurants and casino floor. Caesars said it plans to add more entertainment “soon.”

The former Isle of Capri Lake Charles was closed for more than two years due to the pandemic and damage from Hurricane Laura. The new 60,000-square-foot property brings the Horseshoe brand to southwest Louisiana.

The property features nearly 1,000 slot machines and table games, as well as a WSOP Poker Room, a Caesars Sportsbook and 253 hotel rooms inspired by local scenery. There will be a wide range of food and beverage outlets, with Gordon Ramsay Steak to open in mid-2023.

Anthony Carano, president and COO of Caesars Entertainment, said before the opening: “When we closed the Isle of Capri in 2020, we were not expecting the property to be shut down for this length of time.

“But we couldn’t be prouder of our team and all of the hard work they’ve put into this beautiful property. We look forward to welcoming our partners and the community to celebrate with us as we commemorate this milestone and introduce them to Horseshoe Lake Charles.”

Jeff Favre, senior vice president and general manager of Horseshoe Lake Charles, said: “The support from the Lake Charles community has been tremendous, and we can’t wait to welcome our guests back to experience our all-new resort. After being closed for more than two years, to reopen as a Horseshoe casino is the cherry on top of a pretty spectacular celebration.”

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