Gulfport, Mississippi-based contractor AnderCorp recently broke ground on the $270 million Live! Casino & Hotel project in Bossier City, Louisiana, according to a Jan. 8 press release shared with Construction Dive.
The general contractor was tapped to oversee the construction of a 47,000-square-foot casino; a 25,000-square-foot entertainment and event center; 30,000 square feet of food and entertainment venues; and a 550-room hotel with a resort-style pool and fitness center.
The resort was approved in October 2023 and construction is now in full swing. It is scheduled to open in 2025, according to the release.
AnderCorp also provided preconstruction services, design review and managed early-stage demolition of the old Diamond Jacks Casino property over the past year in order to prepare for the new project. When complete, the new resort will include more than 1,000 slot machines and over 40 live action table games, including poker.
It’s being developed by The Cordish Cos., a Baltimore-headquartered real estate development and entertainment operating firm, which has built casino entertainment resorts in Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The Cordish Cos. said the Louisiana project will create 750 new construction jobs.
Hotel construction outlook
A recovery in the hospitality industry coupled with an increase in consumer confidence has led hotel companies to prime their construction pipelines. Upscale and luxury hospitality projects flourished in the past year and dominated the U.S. hotel construction pipeline, while midscale and extended stay renovations were also on the rise.
Hotel execs said they expect hospitality conversions and development to remain robust in 2024, with a slew of high-profile projects set to open. Many new hotels will cater to the growing number of travelers seeking luxury, sustainable stays and adventure and experiences.
However, the hotel financing environment poses an ongoing challenge to new project construction, Noah Silverman, U.S. and Canada chief global development officer of Marriott International told Hotel Dive.
