Peninsula Pacific in talks to develop new Louisiana casino resort

Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E) is in talks to build a US$250m casino and resort in St. Tammany Parish.

US.- Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E) has begun discussions with local officials on a proposal to build a US$250m casino and resort.

The Los Angeles-based company originally bought a Bossier City riverboat casino six years ago but now wants to move to a more profitable location in St. Tammany Parish.

Its project, which includes a 250-room hotel, would cover about 50 acres of a 100-acre plot of open land east of the Blind Tiger restaurant.

However, there are several regulatory hurdles that the company will need to clear, not least the fact that the parish voted against casinos in a 1996 referendum.

Residents will have to vote to undo the result of that referendum in which the parish rejected casinos and video poker.

In 1996, 62 per cent voted against casinos and 52 per cent against video poker.

The Louisiana legislature would need to pass a bill in the upcoming spring session to put such a measure on the ballot.

P2E will also need the approval of the state Gaming Control Board, which it has not yet applied for.

The company has said that construction of the casino resort would create more than 1,000 jobs.

The casino would pay 5 per cent of its gaming revenue to the parish, according to the company. Gaming revenue is projected at around $7.5m a year.