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Fancy new casino destination opens only three hours from Dallas

See it — and experience it — live.

Photo courtesy of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana

The gaming and entertainment landscape of Louisiana has reached a new pinnacle with the grand opening of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, a $270-plus million resort that's a mere three-hour drive from Dallas.

As the first land-side casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market, this luxurious venue introduces an unparalleled experience that seamlessly blends high-energy gaming, top-tier accommodations, and premier dining and entertainment.

“Just over a year ago, we broke ground on what is now a world-class entertainment destination — a true game-changer for Bossier City,” says Jon Cordish, principal of The Cordish Companies. “With every detail thoughtfully designed to deliver a premier guest experience, Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is set to become the cornerstone of excitement, hospitality, and economic growth for this region.”

A landmark development
Strategically positioned along the Red River, Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is easily accessible from U.S. Highway 71 and Interstate 20, just 20 miles from the Texas border and 40 miles from Arkansas.

“We have eagerly awaited this moment, knowing that Live! will bring an unparalleled level of entertainment excellence to our city. We couldn’t be prouder to welcome the Live! brand," says Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler.

Photo courtesy of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana

Unmatched experiences
Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana offers a premier entertainment experience with:

Gaming: Over 47,000 square feet of gaming space, including 1,000-plus slot machines, 40-plus live-action table games, and a DraftKings Sportsbook.
Luxury accommodations: A 549-room upscale hotel featuring a resort pool and fitness center.
Live! Event Center: A 25,000-square-foot venue for concerts, meetings, and conventions.
RV Park: A 31-site facility with full hookups and concrete pads.

The resort boasts an exciting lineup of dining and nightlife experiences, including:

Sports & Social: Home to the DraftKings Sportsbook, this high-energy bar features an 80-foot LED media wall, craft food, and cocktails.
PBR Cowboy Bar: A country-western venue with live music and mechanical bull riding.
Luk Fu: An Asian-inspired eatery offering dim sum, pho, sushi, and wok-fried dishes.
The Prime Rib: A fine-dining steakhouse renowned for its award-winning Prime rib and fresh seafood.
Ridotto Grand Café: A Venetian-inspired café serving Italian specialties.
R Bar: A lively spot featuring oysters, shareable plates, and craft cocktails.
Center Bar: Located at the heart of the gaming floor and spotlighting a 40,000-pound color-changing chandelier.
High Limit Bar: A private lounge for exclusive gaming patrons.

Photo courtesy of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana

Entertainment and events
The Live! Event Center is poised to become the premier venue in Northwest Louisiana, with a lineup of top-tier entertainment, including Clint Black on March 29.

Beyond concerts, the venue offers customizable event spaces for galas, weddings, and corporate functions. The high-tech Harbor Boardroom, River Room, Delta Room, and expansive pre-function space make it an ideal choice for meetings and private events.

A bright future
With its state-of-the-art amenities, luxurious accommodations, and unmatched entertainment offerings, Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is set to redefine the gaming landscape in the Ark-La-Tex region.

As general manager John J. Chaszar puts it, “From the moment guests walk through our doors, they will be inspired by the spectacular venue we’ve created. Our team is second to none, and we are ready to create unforgettable memories for our guests.”

For more information on upcoming events and reservations, visit Louisiana.LiveCasinoHotel.com.

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News for campers

New 650-acre state park coming to Lake Palestine in East Texas

Photo courtesy of TexasLand

Lake Palestine

East Texas is gaining a new state park at Lake Palestine that will include amenities like hike-and-bike trails, campsites, and lakefront access.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has paid more than $10 million for a 650-acre ranch at Lake Palestine that will be converted into a state park, the agency says. If the park opened today, it would be the 90th state park in Texas.

The ranch, roughly 100 miles southeast of Dallas, had been on the market for a little less than $10 million. Roughly 60 percent of the ranch is wooded, and about 40 percent is pastureland.

The foundation will make improvements to the site, about 18 miles west of Tyler, before handing it over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in late 2027. That’s when funding from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund will become available for the department to acquire the property.

The deal preserves one of the last large habitat sites in that part of East Texas and will ultimately expand public access to Lake Palestine. The lake encompasses more than 25,500 acres and touches four counties. White-tailed deer, bobcats, and waterfowl are among the creatures that populate the habitat.

“Opportunities to protect a property like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, timing is critical,” Anne Brown, the foundation’s executive director, said in a release. She said the land will “ultimately become a place where generations of Texans can enjoy the outdoors.”

The Pollard family had owned the ranch, which housed their pecan farm, since 1940. Aside from the pecan orchard, the property includes pine forests, ponds, a seven-acre lake, and Lake Palestine frontage.

Sam Pollard, president of Texas Pecan Nursery, said the property “is part of my soul. It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy.”

The foundation says visitors to the future park will be able to enjoy blufftop views of the lake, watch wildlife and birds, and walk around the pecan orchard. They’ll also be able to take advantage of boating, paddling, swimming, and fishing at Lake Palestine.

Rodney Franklin, director of the state park system, called the site an “East Texas gem” and thanked the Pollards for enabling “this special slice of the Pineywoods to be accessible for generations of Texans.”

The parks and wildlife agency plans to create the park in phases, starting with guided access, followed by daytime access and then full-day and overnight access. The agency will invite public input about the park’s development.

Planned amenities include hike-and-bike trails, traditional and primitive campsites, day-use areas and lakefront access.

The NextEra Energy Foundation, a philanthropic arm of NextEra Energy and NextEra Energy Resources, chipped in $100,000 to support the future park. NextEra supplies electricity to about one million customers in Texas, mostly through its Gexa Energy subsidiary.

In addition, the wildlife foundation tapped into the state’s Land Conservation Loan Fund for the ranch purchase. The voter-approved, donor-supported fund aids land conservation efforts. Dallas-based Lyda Hill Philanthropies was an inaugural backer of the loan fund.

lake palestine parks state park texas

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News for campers

New 650-acre state park coming to Lake Palestine in East Texas

Dallas' 10 Best Dressed celebrate in final downtown Neiman Marcus fete

Get Tex-Mex and bargain margs at Alexander's Cantina in North Dallas

Free Dallas job fair connects workers with over 3,000 'high-paying' jobs