Hurricane Laura, followed by Eldorado’s $17.3 billion decision to merge with Caesars and paired with a pandemic, resulted in the Lake Charles casino remaining closed for more than two years. In December 2019, Eldorado Resorts, which at the time owned the Isle of Capri riverboat, was given state approval to build and open a new casino on land at a cost of $112.7 million. Louisiana lawmakers in 2018 allowed casino riverboats to move inland, so long as they remained within 1,200 feet - roughly a quarter of a mile - from their original barges.
