Louisiana's rebranded Queen Baton Rouge casino opens to public after $85 million renovation

The Queen Baton Rouge in Louisiana opened its doors to the public on Thursday at 9:00 PM, after undergoing renovation for two years. The casino, formerly known as Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge, is located near the Louisiana State Capitol and the Mississippi River at 1717 N. River Road in Baton Rouge.

The ribbon was officially cut by Lydia Chenevert, a 30-year employee of the property. Meanwhile, former LSU Tiger and NFL quarterback Matt Flynn led a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the sportsbook and placed the ceremonial first bet. The property's overhaul makes the Queen Baton Rouge the city's first fully land-based casino.

Queen Baton Rouge general manager Matthew Shehadi told BR Proud: "We’ve provided a fun, exciting, safe environment and completely redid the parking lot, lighting, and security. We just want people to come down, have fun, and feel safe. The Hollywood is out. The Queen Baton Rouge is in. It’s an $85 million renovation. It’s absolutely stunning."

The Vegas-style casino, spanning 100,000 square feet, houses over 700 machines and 18 table games. It also houses a number of food options, including flagship restaurant 1717, a two-floor restaurant that will allow guests to dine while overlooking the Mississippi River, also featuring a loft for guests aged 21 and above. Additionally, The Queen Baton Rouge will have a Big Chicken, Shaquille O’Neal’s chicken restaurant’s first location in the state. 

Executive Chef of Queen Baton Rouge Kevin Foil told the cited source: "1717 is kind of our flagship restaurant where we have the sit-down full-service restaurant. We have Big Chicken, which is our quick-service chicken restaurant. We have capital coffee, so that’s a coffee shop. We have pastries, sandwiches, lattes, cappuccinos, as well as smoothies. And then we have 3 Woks, which is our Asian noodle bar, fried rice, noodles, ramen, things of that nature."

Apart from food and drinks, the casino will feature a DraftsKings Sportsbook area where visitors can place sports bets. Shehadi added: “DraftKings sportsbooks offer the state-of-the-art technology to be able to place your bets, either at a kiosk or at the counter. If you’re not familiar with sports betting, come down. We have people here that can definitely walk you through that.” 

Last month, the casino noted the retail DraftKings Sportsbook would boast a contemporary design, a full bar, and "cutting-edge" sports wagering technology, including 20 kiosks and four betting windows. It also asserted that lounge-style seating, a 28-foot video wall, and oversized HD TVs would ensure "optimal viewing for sports fans."

The casino also noted that the parking at The Queen Baton Rouge would be revamped, with a redesigned lot featuring wider spaces and additional lighting, ensuring closer access to the main entrance. The main entrance, complete with valet parking, is framed by a "stunning" porte cochere, adding to the overall experience.