The casino at 777 Avenue L'Auberge is getting a nine-story towerwith 250 hotel rooms to take the count to 1,000. Pinnacle also isadding more retail space, new lobby, lounge and a VIP elevator toprovide access to the new tower's second-floor luxury suites.Construction is slated to wrap up in fall 2007.

Pinnacle credits the expansion to the property's popularitysince its opening. "Calcasieu Parish has proven to be a superblocation for a premier destination resort and L'Auberge's successhas validated our initial investment of $370 million in thismarket," Daniel R. Lee, Pinnacle's chairman and CEO, says in thismorning's press release.

Larry Kepinski, L'Auberge's vice president and general manager,adds that the expansion is also geared to making the property morecompetitive and attractive to convention and meeting planners."This will also allow us to be better able to satisfy customerdemand for rooms on the weekends," he says. The expansion projectis estimated to boost the staff to more than 2,250.