Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack is a
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
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 & turf course of .
History
Louisiana Downs was built by
shopping center
A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof.
The first known collec ...
developer
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr.
Edward John DeBartolo Sr. (May 17, 1909 – December 19, 1994) was an American businessman. In 1971, his Ohio-based corporation was ranked as 47th among the nation's top 400 construction contractors. In 1983, DeBartolo was included on ''For ...
, of
Cleveland,
Ohio, a longtime supporter of horse racing; it was third race track that he developed, along with
Thistledown in
North Randall, Ohio, and
Remington Park in
Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Racing
The
Thoroughbred meet takes place from early May through late September or early October. A
quarter horse
The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less; some have been clocked at s ...
meet is held from January through March.
The track's only graded event is the
Grade III Super Derby
The Super Derby is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually in September at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Inaugurated in 1980, the Super Derby is open to three-year-olds and the distance is miles on the dirt. Currently a Gr ...
, a race run each September since 1980 now at the current distance of . It also hosts the
Tiznow Handicap
The Tiznow Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana whose inaugural running took place on September 20, 2008. Contested on dirt over a distance of 8.5 furlongs ( miles), it is open to horses age ...
.
References
* https://www.ksla.com/2021/11/01/rubico-acquisition-corporation-officially-takes-over-louisiana-downs/]
External links
Louisiana Downs official web site
{{coord, 32.547229, -93.624609, region:US_type:landmark, display=title, format=dms
Tourist attractions in Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Casinos in Louisiana
Horse racing venues in Louisiana
Sports venues in Shreveport, Louisiana
Sports venues in Louisiana
Buildings and structures completed in 1974
Buildings and structures in Bossier City, Louisiana
Sports venues completed in 1974