Golden Nugget Lake Charles
Golden Nugget Lake Charles is a waterfront casino resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, owned and operated by Landry's, Inc.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Golden Nugget Lake Charles is a large waterfront casino resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and one of the properties operating under Landry's Golden Nugget brand. The resort occupies approximately 242 acres beside the former development site associated with the L'Auberge du Lac casino. Its positioning combines destination gaming with upscale lodging, restaurants, entertainment, meetings, golf, marina access, and leisure amenities, making it broader than a standalone casino. The property emerged from a succession of proposed casino projects. Pinnacle Entertainment initially announced Sugarcane Bay in 2006, describing a planned $350 million resort adjacent to L'Auberge du Lac. That proposal was abandoned in 2010, after which Pinnacle returned the gaming license to Louisiana. In 2011, the license went to Creative Casinos LLC, a company associated with former Pinnacle chairman Dan Lee, for a proposed $400 million project called Mojito Pointe. Creative Casinos was acquired by Ameristar Casinos in 2012, and the project was renamed Ameristar Lake Charles. Pinnacle subsequently agreed to acquire Ameristar. As part of the regulatory process for that transaction, Pinnacle agreed to divest two properties, including the Lake Charles project. Landry's, the Houston-based hospitality company controlled by Tilman J. Fertitta, reached an agreement to acquire the development and cover costs already incurred. Fertitta had sought a casino resort near Landry's headquarters and substantially expanded the project, with reported investment exceeding $600 million. The resort's accommodations tower reached its construction high point in December 2013. Golden Nugget Lake Charles opened to the public on December 7, 2014. The completed resort includes a 22-story hotel tower with 1,038 guest rooms and suites, a casino floor operating around the clock, an 18-hole championship golf course, roughly 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a private beach, marina, spa and salon, retail areas, and more than a dozen restaurants and bars. Its gaming offer includes approximately 1,600 slot machines, 60 table games, and a six-table poker room, with high-limit gaming available. Dining is a major part of the resort's cross-selling model. The property includes Landry's-affiliated concepts such as Landry's Seafood, Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse, Saltgrass Steak House, Cadillac Bar & Grill, Grotto Ristorante, Lillie's Asian Cuisine, Claim Jumper Grill, and The Buffet, as well as Blue Martini, described as Louisiana's first location of the Florida-based cocktail-lounge brand. The resort's golf course includes a driving range, clubhouse, pro shop, and dining room. In 2022, DraftKings added a branded retail sportsbook at the property. The sportsbook opened on September 1 and was described in the cited reference material as the largest DraftKings retail sportsbook location in Louisiana at that time. Golden Nugget Lake Charles is the fifth Golden Nugget property, joining locations in downtown Las Vegas, Laughlin, Atlantic City, and Biloxi. It remains an active casino-resort property serving regional visitors, leisure travelers, convention groups, and gaming customers from Louisiana and nearby Texas markets.
History
The Lake Charles resort now known as Golden Nugget Lake Charles developed through several ownership and branding changes before opening in 2014. Pinnacle Entertainment announced the Sugarcane Bay project in 2006. The proposed $350 million casino resort was intended for land beside Pinnacle's L'Auberge du Lac property, but the plan was canceled in 2010 and the gaming license was returned to the state. In February 2011, Louisiana awarded the license to Creative Casinos LLC, associated with former Pinnacle chairman Dan Lee. Creative Casinos proposed a $400 million resort named Mojito Pointe for the same general site. Financing and development proved difficult, and Ameristar Casinos acquired Creative Casinos in June 2012 for $32.5 million. The project was then renamed Ameristar Lake Charles. Pinnacle agreed in December 2012 to acquire Ameristar Casinos. To address antitrust concerns raised by the Federal Trade Commission, Pinnacle agreed to sell two properties, one of which was the Lake Charles project. Landry's, Inc., the Houston-based hospitality company whose portfolio included the Golden Nugget casino brand, reached a sale agreement and agreed to reimburse development costs incurred up to that point. Landry's owner Tilman J. Fertitta announced a significantly upgraded resort concept. The project received more than $600 million in reported investment, making it one of the more expensive U.S. construction projects of its period. Its location was strategically attractive to Landry's because Lake Charles is close to Houston, where the company is headquartered, and because Fertitta had long wanted a casino resort in the area. Construction of the accommodations tower reached its high point in December 2013. The property opened on December 7, 2014, as Golden Nugget Lake Charles. The resort occupies about 242 acres and includes a 22-story tower containing 1,038 guest rooms and suites. Its wider destination-resort facilities include a 24-hour casino, golf course, meeting space, restaurants and bars, private beach, marina, spa and salon, and retail corridor. The casino contains approximately 1,600 slot machines, 60 table games, a six-table poker room, and high-limit areas. The resort's food-and-beverage portfolio uses several established Landry's concepts, including Landry's Seafood, Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse, Saltgrass Steak House, Cadillac Bar & Grill, Grotto Ristorante, Lillie's Asian Cuisine, Claim Jumper Grill, and The Buffet. Blue Martini also operates at the resort and was identified in the reference material as the first Louisiana location of that lounge brand. The resort added a new sports-betting component in 2022 when DraftKings announced a retail sportsbook at the hotel. It opened on September 1, 2022, and was described as the largest DraftKings retail sportsbook in Louisiana at that time. Golden Nugget Lake Charles is the fifth Golden Nugget property, following the brand's locations in downtown Las Vegas, Laughlin, Atlantic City, and Biloxi.
- 2022
DraftKings retail sportsbook opens
[1]A DraftKings retail sportsbook opened at the resort on September 1.
- 2014
Golden Nugget Lake Charles opens
[1]The resort opened to the public on December 7, 2014.
- 2013
Landry's development reaches construction milestone
[1]Construction of the accommodations tower reached its high point in December as Landry's developed the upgraded casino-resort project.
- 2012
Project becomes Ameristar Lake Charles
[1]Ameristar Casinos acquired Creative Casinos and renamed the project Ameristar Lake Charles.
- 2011
Mojito Pointe receives gaming license
[1]Creative Casinos LLC received the license and proposed a $400 million casino resort named Mojito Pointe.
- 2010
Sugarcane Bay canceled
[1]Pinnacle canceled the Sugarcane Bay proposal and returned the associated gaming license to Louisiana.
- 2006
Sugarcane Bay announced
[1]Pinnacle Entertainment announced plans for a proposed $350 million casino resort called Sugarcane Bay beside L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles.
Products and positioning
An integrated waterfront casino resort combining regional destination gaming with upscale lodging, branded dining, golf, meetings, marina and beach amenities, and leisure services.
Gaming · 2014
Casino gaming
The resort's casino operates 24 hours and includes approximately 1,600 slot machines, 60 table games, high-limit gaming, and a six-table poker room. It is the property's core gaming attraction and is supported by hotel, dining, entertainment, and leisure facilities.
Accommodation · 2014
Hotel
Golden Nugget Lake Charles provides 1,038 guest rooms and suites in a 22-story accommodations tower. The hotel forms the lodging base of the integrated resort and supports overnight gaming, golf, dining, meetings, and leisure visits.
Food and beverage · 2014
Dining and nightlife
The resort offers more than a dozen restaurants and bars. Its portfolio includes Landry's Seafood, Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse, Saltgrass Steak House, Cadillac Bar & Grill, Grotto Ristorante, Lillie's Asian Cuisine, Claim Jumper Grill, The Buffet, and Blue Martini.
Resort amenities · 2014
Golf and leisure facilities
The 242-acre resort includes an 18-hole championship golf course with a driving range, clubhouse, pro shop, and dining room, together with a private beach, marina, spa and salon, and retail corridor.
Sports betting · 2022
DraftKings retail sportsbook
The DraftKings retail sportsbook provides an in-person sports-betting venue within the hotel. It opened in September 2022 and was described at launch as the largest DraftKings retail sportsbook location in Louisiana.
Brand decisions
2022
Addition of DraftKings retail sportsbookProduct launchBackground
The resort sought to broaden its gaming offer beyond casino games as Louisiana's regulated sports-betting market developed.
Action taken
DraftKings announced and opened a retail sportsbook inside the hotel on September 1, 2022.
Aftermath
The venue was identified as the largest DraftKings retail sportsbook in Louisiana at the time of opening.
2012
Landry's acquires the Lake Charles developmentM&ABackground
Pinnacle's planned acquisition of Ameristar required divestitures to address Federal Trade Commission antitrust concerns. The Lake Charles project was among the assets selected for sale.
Action taken
Landry's agreed to acquire the project and cover development costs incurred before the transaction, subsequently developing it under the Golden Nugget name.
Aftermath
The former Ameristar Lake Charles project was substantially expanded and opened as Golden Nugget Lake Charles in 2014.
Sources1 sources
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