Louisiana Downs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack |
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Spectator stands at Louisiana Downs
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| 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 |
Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack is a fun place in Bossier City, Louisiana. It has both a horse racing track and a casino. This type of place is sometimes called a racino. It first opened its doors in 1974.
The casino part of Louisiana Downs has more than 800 slot machines for visitors to enjoy. The horse racing track has two main parts. There is a dirt track that is about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) long. There is also a grass track, called a turf course, which is about 0.875 miles (1.4 kilometers) long.
Contents
The Story of Louisiana Downs
How It Started
Louisiana Downs was built by a man named Edward J. DeBartolo Sr.. He was a developer who built many shopping centers. Mr. DeBartolo loved horse racing and had built two other race tracks before this one. He was from Cleveland, Ohio.
When Louisiana Downs first opened in 1974, it was very popular. More than 300,000 people visited and bet over $23 million on the races. By 1983, even more fans came, with 1.3 million people betting $224 million during the racing season.
Changes in Ownership
Over the years, Louisiana Downs has had a few different owners. In 2002, a company called Harrah's Entertainment bought the track. This company later became known as Caesars Entertainment.
In 2017, the ownership of the property changed again. It was transferred to a company called Vici Properties. They then leased the property back to Caesars to operate it.
Later, in September 2020, Caesars Entertainment and VICI Properties decided to sell Louisiana Downs. They sold it to a company called Rubico Acquisition Corp. for $22 million. This sale was completed in November 2021. After the sale, the name changed from Harrah's Louisiana Downs to simply Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack.
Horse Racing Events
Types of Races
Louisiana Downs hosts different types of horse races throughout the year. The main racing season for Thoroughbred horses runs from early May until late September or early October.
There is also a special racing season for quarter horses. These races usually happen from January through March. Quarter horses are known for their speed over short distances.
The Super Derby Race
The most famous race held at Louisiana Downs is called the Super Derby. This important race first took place in September 1980. It is currently run over a distance of about 1 and 1/16 miles (1,700 meters).
The Super Derby was once a very important race for three-year-old horses. Famous horses like Tiznow even won this race. For a few years, the race was moved to the grass track. It was also paused from 2020 to 2022. However, the Super Derby returned in 2023 with a prize of $200,000 for the winners.
