Coushatta Casino Resort officially celebrated the grand opening of its new Legacy Tower on May 15, 2026, a multi-million-dollar hotel expansion that positions the property among the largest tribal gaming resorts in the southern United States. The project adds 204 hotel rooms, more than 100 premium suites, and pushes the resort’s total room inventory beyond 1,000 rooms, strengthening regional competition for gaming tourism and luxury entertainment in Louisiana.
The new eight-story tower was developed by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, owner and operator of the resort, with the goal of capturing growing tourism demand from Texas and Gulf Coast markets. Construction officially began in March 2024, while the building reached its topping-out milestone in April 2025, ahead of the official May 2026 launch. Resort officials also confirmed the expansion will generate more than 100 new jobs tied to hospitality, gaming operations and entertainment.
Legacy Tower includes premium finishes, a redesigned lobby, direct access to the gaming floor and luxury suites integrated into the broader casino ecosystem, which already operates approximately 100,000 square feet of gaming space, nearly 500 slot machines, around 70 table games, a sportsbook, bingo hall, restaurants, a lazy river and a large RV resort.
Aaron Lepinski
The hospitality executive publicly associated with the expansion is Aaron Lepinski, while the gaming operation remains under direct tribal control. The casino operates under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988, the federal law governing tribal gaming in the United States, along with tribal-state compacts negotiated with Louisiana allowing Class III gaming operations, including slot machines and table games.
Christopher B. Hebert
State oversight falls under the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB), chaired in 2026 by Christopher B. Hebert, the agency responsible for licensing, compliance, AML supervision, audits and gaming enforcement across Louisiana.
The expansion is coming as the Gulf Coast gaming market continues to grow rapidly. Louisiana remains one of the most important gambling jurisdictions in the United States, recently generating more than USD 3.4 billion in gaming revenue according to state authorities. Coushatta is now positioning itself aggressively in premium hospitality, sportsbook entertainment and high-spending tourism while the Gulf region accelerates investment in integrated resorts and luxury gaming destinations.
