The 716 square foot, 1200 pound sign is up on the Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana in Bossier City, another milestone in the countdown its opening.

It is just one more of the many moving parts on the Arthur Ray Teague Parkway property, says Josh Robinson, Live! Louisiana’s Vice President of Marketing.

“Things are just really taking shape every day. There’s a new wall or a new finish, a new light, so it’s just a very exciting process to see,” Robinson said. “As you kind of go through the property, you can really get the feel and the vibe of how the different spaces are taking shape.”

The property includes a lot of different spaces:

• 47,000 square feet of gaming space featuring more than 1,000 slot and electronic table games, 40-plus live action table games and a sportsbook.
• 25,000 square feet of event and convention space.
• 30,000 square feet of restaurant, bar and entertainment space.
• 550-room hotel.

The total investment is $271 million, and the total tax bump to Bossier City is expected to be $35 million over five years.

Since taking the job and moving into his office in September, Robinson has been spending his days in a fast-paced construction zone.

“We are definitely in the middle of it,” Robinson says, then adds with a laugh that a hard hat and steel-toed boots are “a great addition” to his wardrobe.

With conventions already booked and an opening guaranteed for the first part of 2025, the focus is on finishing, and time is ticking down. Robinson says the construction crew and subcontractors are working like a “well-oiled machine.”

“We’ve got hundreds of people here every day in every single space,” he said.

Multiple things are happening on different tracks, he says.

The casino is continuing to introduce itself and engage with the community. Robinson says he is looking forward to the first large presenting sponsorship, for BREW, the October beer fest in Shreveport’s Festival Plaza.

Construction continues, and hiring will “go live” on Nov. 8 when all of the positions will be posted on the casino’s website, so interested applicants can start their applications. Robinson said in-person job fairs will be scheduled after that.

The different timelines for hiring the more than 700 employees the casino and hotel will need will be listed on the website, he said.

Robinson says the early 2025 opening means “not as early as January, but not as late as June.”

“What I can say with 110% certainty is that great things come to those who wait,” he said.