Bossier City gaming: Everything you need to know about Bossier casinos now
Plus: Bossier Parish 'has always been anti-tax,' so where will $100 million for road upgrades come from?
Bossier City weather — Cold Weather Advisory is in effect from tonight at 9 pm until Friday at 10 am. Today: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid-30s. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Wind chill values as low as 5 above this morning. Tonight: Mostly clear. Cold with lows around 19. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill values as low as 12. Friday: Partly cloudy in the morning, then becoming mostly cloudy. Highs around 40. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill values as low as 10 above in the morning. Friday night: Mostly cloudy. Cold with lows in the upper 20s. Northeast winds around 5 mph in the evening, becoming light and variable.
Beyond Bossier
Bossier City gaming: Everything you need to know about Bossier casinos now
The new Live! Casino has sparked renewed interest in Bossier City's local gaming market. And while Live! may be the shiny new thing, the legacy gambling destinations won't back down. Don't know how.
All of our local favorites have sizzling specials, headlining entertainment, and a vast assortment of gaming options. Time to plan a casino crawl with your buddies? Here are some highlights to help you plan ahead.
Bally's
Bally's is celebrating 25 years on the Red River. Celebrate with them in the moody, dark, and delicious restaurant, The Vintage. There is also a $25 discount on select La Spa services. And remember the tall and hard-to-forget Bally's Jackpot cocktail. We won't spoil the surprise, but you'll take a conversation piece home with you.
Plus, between now and March 29, enter to win your choice of a Toyota Land Cruiser, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota Tundra, or Mitsubishi Eclipse, valued at $60,000 — or $40,000 in cash.
Boomtown
Boomtown offers up to 20% off hotel stays with a Spring Into Fun special. We can officially endorse the Boomarita, just so you know.
Active-duty military, veterans and first responders are eligible for exclusive PENN Heroes benefits, including a tier upgrade to Advantage, up to 30% off hotel rates, dining & shopping discounts and more.
Horseshoe
Horseshoe offers rooms as low as $59 per night during the Adventure Begins Sale. Jack Binion's Steak House is a destination all of its own.
As for live entertainment, Justin Moore will perform at the Riverdome on March 8 with special guest Austin Michael. Tickets were still available at the time of publication.
Live! Casino and Hotel
The new kid on the block should definitely be on your casino crawl list. Upcoming entertainment includes Walker Hayes Feb. 28, The Commodores March 7, Matt Mathews March 8-9, Clint Black March 29, and Ginuwine April 18.
Louisiana Downs
This is where the horses have been playing for 50 years. Not the same horses, ya' know. You'll find 600 games in the casino and quarter horse and thoroughbred racing 100 days a year. Live music rocks the house on Fridays and Saturdays.
And the legendary Lucky Palace is now at the Downs. Definitely worth a visit.
Margaritaville
Margarita is undergoing renovations, "so guests may experience noise." If so, you'll have to make even more noise yourself. Live entertainment is coming soon: March 1, Muscadine Bloodline, March 28, Frank Foster, and April 4, Larry Fleet.
Sam's Town
Sam's Town is home to an authentic 19th-century paddlewheel riverboat, but you can't take it for a spin. There are other wheels inside that are worth a spin, though.
Sam's Town hosts some of the best locally-bred live entertainment on the weekends. From cover bands, dance bands, country, R&B, classic rock, 80s favorites — there's always a party happening on this boat.
Bossier Parish 'has always been anti-tax,' so where will $100 million for road upgrades come from?
At Tuesday's Bossier Parish Police Jury meeting on subdivision development, BPPJ parish attorney Patrick Jackson spoke about past attempts to fund road improvements in Bossier.
There is a growing need for infrastructure upgrades to meet the demand resulting from the expected 5,000 or more new homes in North Bossier.
>> READ MORE: See the 5-square-mile zone triggering transformative Bossier growth
Jackson said, "Early on, we identified this growth problem and attempted to pass a bond issue for roads, but Bossier Parish has always been anti-tax, and we knew that was going to be a tough situation — but the growth problem had not really bitten enough people yet."
Will Bossier voters approve the $100 million needed to meet the parish's growth?
Bossier Sheriff extends deadline for youth shooting sports program
Scholastic shooting sports is one of the fastest-growing sports today, and the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office is a part of the excitement.
BPSO's youth shooting program is launching its 2025 Spring Trap and Skeet Season, and the registration deadline has been extended to February 28th.
Participate in the spring season beginning in early March to represent your junior or senior high school. The program is open to Bossier Parish students from the 7th to the 12th grade.
The 2024 Fall Season had over 80 students from around the parish participating.
To register and learn more, Contact Deputy Lonadier at jlonadier@bossiersheriff.com.
Requirements:
Must be at least 12 years of age.
Must be enrolled in a Bossier Parish Middle or High School.
Must be in good academic and disciplinary standing with their school.
The student will be required to supply their own equipment.
Must have a state-approved hunter safety card or attend a firearm safety class provided by the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office.
Contact Information: youthshootingsport@bossiersheriff.com
All events will be held at the Sheriff's Office shooting sports range in Plain Dealing. The 90-acre facility will host team events featuring skeet, sporting clays and trap shooting.
LSU athletics lost nearly $1 million last year; other state universities are doing even worse
An audit of Louisiana State University's athletic department found that the Southeastern Conference powerhouse operated at a deficit of nearly $1 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
However, LSU's financial struggles are not unique among Louisiana's public universities. Five other institutions also faced deficits, with a combined shortfall of over $21.7 million.
According to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's report, LSU's athletic department brought in $220.28 million in revenue but incurred $221.1 million in expenses, leaving a shortfall of approximately $818,000.
LSU's top revenue sources included $51.78 million from ticket sales, $79.14 million in contributions — up $15.6 million from the previous year — and $43.62 million from media rights as part of the Southeastern Conference. Additionally, the program received $5.22 million in guarantees and $1.53 million in football bowl revenues.
On the expense side, the university spent $43.19 million on coaching salaries, benefits and bonuses, while support staff and administrative compensation totaled $38.06 million. Other operational costs accounted for $36.2 million, with an additional $2.07 million spent on football bowl-related expenses.
The Tiger Athletic Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports LSU athletics, reported net capital assets of $202.8 million.
January audits for other Louisiana universities revealed significant deficits as well.
Louisiana Tech University recorded the largest deficit at $10.5 million, with $33.37 million in expenses against $22.87 million in revenue. The school's largest revenue sources included $6.77 million in institutional support and $5.03 million in contributions while coaching salaries and athletic student aid made up a significant portion of its costs.
Similarly, Northwestern State University ran a $2.66 million deficit, while the University of Louisiana at Monroe faced a $4.49 million shortfall. McNeese State University and Nicholls State University posted deficits of $1.65 million and $1.69 million, respectively.
– By Nolan McKendry/The Center Square
Bossier City free time calendar
Live music in Bossier City and other notable events in the area for your free time consideration. If you would like to add an event to the Bossier City free time calendar, send the details to email@bossiernow.com.
February 21: Katt Williams at the BGA. Star of 13 stand-up comedy specials, actor, and yes, rapper. Be prepared for anything.
March 1: Winter Jam 2025 featuring Skillet, Anne Wilson, KB, Colton Dixon, NewSong, Micah Tyler, speaker Zane Black and more at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
March 1: Muscadine Bloodline in the Paradise Theater at the Margaritaville Hotel and Casino
March 8: Justin Moore and special guest Austin Michael in the Riverdome at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City.
March 28: Frank Foster in the Paradise Theater at the Margaritaville Hotel and Casino
March 29-30: Barksdale Air Force Base will host the 2025 Defenders of Liberty Air Show. The two-day event is free and open to the public. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the air show with additional military aerial demonstrations, including the C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker, and the first-ever KC-46 Pegasus demonstration, as well as an exciting lineup of civilian acts, featuring Randy Ball, Red Bull Air Force, Smoke N' Thunder Jet Truck, and more. The event will also feature static aircraft displays, interactive STEM exhibits, food concessions, and activities for attendees of all ages.
April 4: Martin Lawrence at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
April 4: Larry Fleet in the Paradise Theater at the Margaritaville Hotel and Casino
April 19: Sister Hazel at the Louisiana Grandstand.
April 25: The 17th Annual Shreveport Blues Festival with performances by: Tucka, King George, Pokey Bear, Marcellus The Singer, J-Wonn, West Love, and TK Soul at the Brookshire Grocery Arena.
May 6: Bonnie Raitt at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.
July 24: Parker McCollum brings his What Kinda Man tour to the BGA.
September 13: Lainey Wilson at the Brookshire Grocery Arena
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