AAA tows an average of 850-thousand motorists over the holiday season but there are steps you can take ahead of the drive to get your destination without a hitch. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (30) “…I’m Brooke Thorington
_____________________
Isle of Capri gets approval from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to be the first riverboat casino to crawl up out of the water and set up shop on land. Matt Doyle has the story.
cut 2 (30) “…I’m Matt Doyle.”
__________________________________________
The National Retail Federation Estimates nearly 148-million U-S consumers will shop on super Saturday. That’s up from 134-million last year. LSU marketing professor Dan Rice says the last Saturday before Christmas has become the biggest shopping day of the year
Cut 3 (11) “…retailer.”
Rice says on this final weekend before the Christmas holiday, retailers do a good job marketing themselves to procrastinators
Cut 4 (11) “…more male”
Rice says there are some good deals to be had in the final shopping days before Christmas. But he says do a little research beforehand to make sure you are truly getting a great deal…
Cut 5 (08) “smart phone”
_______________________
According to AAA a third of the country will be in transit over the holidays, either by plane, trains or automobiles. AAA Spokesperson Don Redman says that’s the most ever predicted in the last twenty years by the association and the majority of travelers will take to the roadways.
Cut 6 (07) “…patience.”
Redman says the top three reasons AAA tows during the holidays are flat tires, dead batteries, and lockouts, so have your car checked before you leave and take an extra set of keys.
In addition to patience on the roadways, Redman says be prepared to pay more at the pump this year if you’re traveling by car.
Cut 7 (07) “…several days”
However, after Christmas, Redman says gas prices should drop going into the New Year.
Airports will be packed in addition to the roads, AAA estimates a 5 percent increase in air travelers this year. Redman recommends arriving at the airport at least two hours before departure.
Cut 8 (05) “the holidays.”
Redman says the busiest travel day in the skies will be December 26th.
The official traffic season begins this weekend and ends January 1st.
_________________________________
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board approves plans for Lake Charles based Isle of Capri riverboat casino to move on land, the first facility to make the jump 18 months after the Legislature ok’d such moves.
The plan is to shutter the riverboat and build a 112.7 million dollar facility right nearby. L-G-C-B Chairman Ronnie Jones says the plan is a major expansion in food offerings…
Cut 9 (10) “…steakhouse”
Capri is just off I-10 west of Lake Charles.
Jones says the project is a significant investment for the company even as gaming revenues have stayed flat in Louisiana. He says this shows the Legislature’s decision is paying off.
Cut 10 (09) “…running”
The new facility will have 72,000 square feet of gaming space.
Considering how hard the industry pushed to allow riverboats on land, some are surprised it’s taken one this long to announce a move, but Jones says more are likely soon to follow.
Cut 11 (12) “follow suit”
______________________
St Tammany Parish is about to see major job growth. Medline Industries will build a distribution center that will create more than 460 new jobs near Covington. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson says the $53-million-dollar medical supply facility will be a major boon for the state.
Cut 12 (11) “…facility”
Pierson says Medline might not be a household name, but they do business in more than 90 countries.
Cut 13 (09) “…company.”
Pierson says a strong workforce for companies to draw from and Interstates 12 and 55 near the area make the location very attractive for industry.
Cut 14 (06) “…distribution.”
Also in St Tammany, Ampirical, is expected to create 400 new jobs over the next decade with an average salary of $85-thousand, as they construction corporate headquarters in the parish.