Lake Charles Golden Nugget expansion underway
Tilman Fertitta, the owner of the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, Louisiana, announced on Thursday that by 2013 a 300-room hotel tower would be added to the casino resort.
Construction has already begun for the new tower on the Golden Nugget’s south side pool area. The casino, which is approximately three hours from Houston, has been opened since December 2014.
Fifty-nine-year-old Fertitta is a billionaire restaurateur, gambling mogul and amusement park operator based in Houston, Texas. He is Landry’s Inc.’s, one of the nation’s largest restaurant corporations, chairman, CEO and sole owner. Fertitta has Golden Nugget casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Las Vegas, Biloxi, Mississippi and the major petrochemical refining town of Lake Charles. It is a popular spot for Houston gamblers, especially considering the only types of gambling permitted in the Lone Star State are the lottery; charitable bingo, parimutuel wagering on greyhound and horse racing; raffles, and pull-tabs, and one Indian casino. One of three federally recognized tribes in Texas, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas operates the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass.
The Lake Charles Golden Nugget currently has 740 luxury hotel rooms and suites; a country club and golf course; retail establishments and Landry’s restaurants; 30,000 square feet of meeting space; an 18,000 square-foot ballroom; private beach front and marina and pool. The casino floor consists of 1,600 slot machines, 77 table games and a poker room.
According to Wikipedia, Lake Charles is Louisiana’s largest casino market, and it is also home to the L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, which sits on 242 acres. It has a 26-story hotel with approximately 1,000 guest rooms, casino, golf course, meeting center and spa.