Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. has received a 90-day extension from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board for February construction deadlines at both the Baton Rouge and Lake Charles riverboat casinos.After Pinnacle executives asked to delay the Feb. 18 construction contracts deadline for the 550 acres of property in Baton Rouge, the Board unanimously voted Tuesday to grant the extension.The casino company asked to extend the time to continue working on the plans for the Baton Rouge casino and extend the time to finish preliminary work on the Lake Charles casino because of the shaky financial market.Carlos Ruisanchez, executive vice president of strategic planning and development at Pinnacle Entertainment, told the Board the gaming industry is fairing worse than other markets in the economy.”Consumer confidence is at an all time low,” he said, explaining the situation was one of many problems in the financial market. Ruisanchez read a report to the Board stating the casino industry lost about $11.6 billion last year from canceled projects, not including Las Vegas casinos.”We have not been immune to this,” he said, explaining that Pinnacle has had some setbacks to their projects in the last year.Board Chairman Charles Gaudin asked Pinnacle executives if Louisiana would remain a No. 1 priority to Pinnacle.Jack Godfrey, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary at Pinnacle Entertainment, said Louisiana is an “extremely high priority” for the company because the gambling company has invested two projects in the state.But Godfrey said the gambling company could not guarantee it would be financially ready to continue full work on the $350 million Lake Charles complex in 90 days.”We’re hesitant to say we’ll approve the construction,” Godfrey said.The company wants to monitor the financial market to ensure it’s stable before entering a binding construction contract, he said.Construction at Sugarcane Bay, the Lake Charles casino project, started in August and will also be extended.Pinnacle executives said construction to widen the road at the Lake Charles location is underway.Plans are still in place to finish both projects, but Pinnacle executives said they could not guarantee they will secure the needed funds.Pinnacle’s proposed Baton Rouge gambling complex was approved last February. ——Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]