Ameristar completes purchase of planned Louisiana gaming development

Ameristar Casinos completed its $32.5 million purchase of a planned gaming development in Lake Charles, La., on Monday and is expected to break ground Friday on the $500 million hotel-casino project.

In a statement, Las Vegas-based Ameristar said it hoped to complete the 700-room Ameristar Lake Charles by the fall of 2014.

The project was originally known as Mojito Pointe and was being developed by Creative Casinos, a company controlled by Las Vegas gaming executive Dan Lee. The project, which will include a golf course and other amenities, is adjacent to the L'Auberge du Lac Casino, which is owned by Pinnacle Entertainment.

"We're excited about the growth this opportunity will bring to our company, and for the thousands of construction and permanent jobs we will create in Lake Charles," Ameristar Chief Executive Officer Gordon Kanofsky said in a statement.

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.