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Harrahs operated their Lake Charles location till hurricane Rita came along in 2005. While the 2 casino riverboats. Survived the storm OK(1 was beached). The "Island" style pavillion was pretty beat up and partly beached itself. A attached(tied up to the "island") office & employees barge was sunk in the lake. Harrahs called the complex "completely destroyed" and decided to not reopen their casino operation in Lake Charles. And has it torn down and cut up. That is everything that was over or on water. The Hotel(which was not damaged real bad) and the carpark & parkng areas is still here. The 2 riverboats are lone gone.
At the Lake Charles mayors request Harrahs repaired the hotel and reopened the hotel as the Lakefront Hotel. However, this proved to be a failure as there was not enough business. And the hotel was lossing money so after about 6 to 7 months of operation Harrahs closed it down for good. It now remains closed down with a hurricane fence around everything. With a few security guards there 24 hours a day and maintained by Pinnacle Entertainment Casino Corp. The fate of this old casino complex including the hotel remains unknown at this time.
In the first part of 2007 Harrahs sold/traded their Lake Charles Casino location. Along with the 2 casino licences to Pinnacle Entertainment Casino Corp.(owns L'Auberge Du Lac Casino in Lake Charles). Harrahs got about $78 million and the Pinnacle owned (and destroyed)Casino Magic Casino location in Biloxi, Miss. Pinnacle is NOT going to reopen the old Players/Harrahs location on the lake. But is going to use 1 of the licenses for to build "Suger Cane Bay Casino" along side their "L'Auberge Du Lac Casino". And is trying to get permission to use the other license to build a large casino complex in Baton Rouge, La.
I was and still am very sorry to see this part of gaming in my area. (I had some real good times there)And a part of this area's history go away. But that's the way the hurricane blows.
Dan
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