Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack is a horse racing track and racino located in Bossier City in northwestern Louisiana. It opened in 1974. The casino features over 800 slot machines. The track specification is a dirt track of 1 mi (1.609 km) & turf course of 0.875 mi (1.408 km).
| Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack | |
|---|---|
Spectator stands at Louisiana Downs
| |
| Location | Bossier City, Louisiana |
| Address | 8000 E. Texas St. Bossier City, Louisiana 71111 |
| Opening date | 1974 |
| Total gaming space | 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) |
| Casino type | Racino |
| Owner | Rubico Acquisition Corp |
| Website | ladowns |
Louisiana Downs was built by shopping center developer Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., of Cleveland, Ohio, a longtime supporter of horse racing; it was third race track that he developed, along with ThistledowninNorth Randall, Ohio, and Remington ParkinOklahoma City, Oklahoma.
In its first year of operation, more than 300,000 wagered in excess of $23 million. In 1983, 1.3 million fans wagered $224 million in the 125-day racing season.[1]
Harrah's Entertainment (later Caesars Entertainment) purchased the track in 2002. In October 2017, ownership of the property was transferred to Vici Properties as part of a corporate spin-off, and it was leased back to Caesars.[2][3]
In September 2020, it was announced that Caesars Entertainment and VICI Properties are selling Harrah’s Louisiana Downs to Rubico Acquisition Corp. for $22 million with the deal expected to close at the end of the year or early in 2021.[4]
In November 2021, the sale to Rubico Acquisition Corp was completed and the property transitioned to Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack dropping the Harrah's moniker.
The Thoroughbred meet takes place from early May through late September or early October. A quarter horse meet is held from January through March.
The track’s most notable race is the Super Derby, a race first ran in September 1980 now at the curren distance of 1+1⁄16 miles (1,700 m). It was once a top race for 3 yo’s and horses such as Tiznow won the race. The race, along with the track suffered a precipitous decline and was moved to the turf for 2 years and was placed on hiatus from 2020-2022. It was brought back in 2023 with a $200,000 purse
32°32′50″N 93°37′29″W / 32.547229°N 93.624609°W / 32.547229; -93.624609
