Landry’s to expand restaurant brands to new hotel–casino

Landry's Inc. will expand two of its restaurant concepts into a planned Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Louisiana.

Houston-based Landry's will include its Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse and Grotto Italian Ristorante as part of a property it purchased last month for an undisclosed sum. The deal included an under-construction casino, resort and hotel in Lake Charles, La., which will become Landry's fifth Golden Nugget-branded hotel-casino.

“This casino will be where Louisiana locals and Texans will want to play, stay and enjoy themselves,” said Tilman J. Fertitta, owner of Landry’s and its Golden Nugget brand. “We are investing nearly $600 million in the project and plan to draw from our large South Texas and Louisiana customer base to drive business to our new resort.”

Landry’s created the upscale Vic & Anthony's in 2003 and has included it in Golden Nugget properties in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, N.J. It has also opened a unit in New York City. The company purchased the Houston-created Grotto restaurant and has included it in those two Golden Nuggets, as well as expanding it to Galveston, Texas.

The new Golden Nugget will hold the last gaming license issued by the State of Louisiana, and is located next door to the L’Auberge Lake Charles Casino Resort. The resort is two hours from Houston and will offer 800 hotel rooms, a golf course, an entertainment showroom, meeting rooms and a spa, the company said.

Landry’s has four other Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev., as well as Atlantic City, N.J., and Biloxi, Miss.

The privately-held hospitality and gaming company also owns such restaurant brands as Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the Chart House, Claim Jumper, Landry’s Seafood House, McCormick & Schmick’s, Morton’s Steakhouse, Oceanaire, Rainforest Café and Saltgrass Steakhouse.

The company also owns and operates the Kemah Boardwalk, the San Luis Resort Complex, the Galveston Historic Pleasure Pier and the Downtown Aquariums in Denver, Colo., and Houston.

Landry’s said its businesses will generate more than $2.7 billion in revenue this year.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected].
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