Industry News
The Cordish Companies Breaks Ground on New $270+ Million Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana

LRGC Gaming Investors LLC, an affiliate of The Cordish Companies, celebrated the commencement of construction on the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market and the $270+ Million LIVE! CASINO & HOTEL LOUISIANA, a project that will serve as a regional destination for world-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hotel amenities.
The official groundbreaking ceremony, hosted by The Cordish Companies Principal Jon Cordish, was attended by Louisiana State Senator Barrow Peacock, State Representative Sam L. Jenkins, Jr., Bossier City Mayor Thomas Chandler, and Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns, along with dozens of regional elected officials, and business, community and tourism leaders, who joined Cordish executives for the first turn of the shovels marking the start of construction on a project that will set a new standard for development in the Ark-La-Tex region bringing economic opportunity and inclusivity to residents.
The project is expected to generate $35 million in gaming tax revenues for the City of Bossier and more than $168 million in gaming tax revenues for the State of Louisiana within the first five years of operation. Annually it will generate $34 million in salaries, wages, and tips, create approximately 750 new construction jobs and approximately 750 permanent gaming and hospitality jobs for local and regional residents, as well as contract opportunities for local, minority, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses.
“Today marks an incredibly special day for my family and The Cordish Companies as we continue to expand our Live! brand in the Southeast region of the country with the development of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana. With the first land-based casino in the market, Live! Casino will be a transformative development that will bring a first-class gaming and entertainment experience to millions of visitors, create significant new jobs, and generate millions of dollars in economic benefits for the community for generations to come. I’d like to thank state and local officials, in particular Mayor Chandler and Ronnie Johns, for their continued support for this project,” Jon Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies, said.
Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is being built on the site of the former Diamond Jacks Casino & Hotel in Bossier City. The property is located along the scenic Red River, directly across from Shreveport, with convenient access off U.S. Highway 71 and Interstate 20, approximately 20 miles from the Texas border and 40 miles from the Arkansas border, allowing for easy access for out-of-state guests and patrons.
Scheduled to open in 2025, Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana will feature:
- more than 47,000-square-feet of gaming space including 1000+ slots and electronic table games and 40+ live action table games;
- a sportsbook;
- an upscale 550-room hotel, resort pool and fitness center;
- a 25,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, multi-purpose Event Center for top name entertainment, meeting, conventions, non-profit and social gatherings;
- structured and surface parking;
- 30,000-square-feet of best-in-class dining entertainment venues including multiple new food and beverage outlets featuring nationally acclaimed concepts Sports & Social and PBR Cowboy Bar; Luk Fu, an Asian restaurant; a fine dining steakhouse; and more.
Carlo Santarelli
Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.
Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.
Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”
In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.
The post Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Industry News
VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

VIP Play, a technology-driven leader in interactive consumer engagement, announced that Jim Mackey, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his role, effective August 8, 2025.
The Company has initiated a transition process and is in the process of identifying a successor. Mackey will assist in an orderly transition over the coming weeks.
“We thank Jim for his contributions to the Company, particularly during a transformative period for our business. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, including financial visibility, operating efficiency, and delivering value to our stakeholders,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO of VIP Play.
The post VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
DotCom Ventures
IBN Initiates Coverage of SEGG Media Corporation

SEGG Media Corporation, a leading technology company transforming the global intersection of sports, entertainment, and gaming, has selected IBN, a multifaceted financial news and publishing company serving private and public entities, to spearhead its corporate communications efforts.
SEGG Media aims to deliver immersive, real-time experiences through next-generation technology that redefines how audiences interact with their favorite content and communities. Following a full-scale corporate transformation and rebrand, the company now operates across three high-growth verticals: Sports.com, Entertainment, and Lottery.com.
Sports.com serves as a global hub for sports content with a focus on soccer, sim racing, motorsports, and athlete-led media, with the upcoming Sports.com Super App poised to evolve fan engagement by integrating streaming, e-commerce, fantasy gaming, and sports news. The Entertainment division builds on AI-powered live events and direct-to-fan platforms, while Lottery.com delivers compliant, ethical gaming solutions including iGaming and charitable lottery access to global audiences.
With a $100 million financing facility and strategic acquisitions underway, including proposed deals with GXR World and DotCom Ventures, SEGG Media is executing a multi-vertical expansion strategy designed to unify fragmented fan experiences across live content, gaming, and digital commerce.
As part of the client-partner relationship, IBN will leverage its investor-focused distribution network, which includes over 5000 key syndication outlets, various newsletters, social media channels, and wire services via InvestorWire, along with blogs and other outreach tools, to generate greater awareness for SEGG Media.
The post IBN Initiates Coverage of SEGG Media Corporation appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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