BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana gambling regulators have approved 90-day delays in the schedules for new casinos in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles.
Officials of Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. said that although the company is in good credit shape, financing for gambling projects have dried up. Officials said they are enthusiastic about finishing both riverboat-hotel projects — and will continue work while watching for credit openings.
Nationally, about $45 billion in casino projects have been put on hold because of a lack of consumer confidence, reduced tourism and credit problems.
The Baton Rouge delay involves the formal presentation of a construction project. In Lake Charles, where Pinnacle already has one casino, the delay will push the state-mandated completion date from April 30, 2010 to July 30, 2010.—-Contact The Daily Reveille news staff at [email protected]