Construction completed on Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis

This rendering released by Southland Gaming & Racing shows a planned $250M addition including a new casino complex and hotel.
This rendering released by Southland Gaming & Racing shows a planned $250M addition including a new casino complex and hotel.

The Southland Casino Hotel in West Memphis announced Thursday construction has been completed on its $320 million expansion project.

The 20-story project, which began three years ago, features 300 rooms.

The building includes 12 penthouse suites and a 113,000-square foot gaming floor.

Owned and operated by Delaware North, the project completes Southland's transformation from a dog racing track to a full-fledged casino.

"The Southland expansion is the culmination of a legacy project for Delaware North," said Delaware North CEO Lou Jacobs in a press release. "The completion puts Southland on the map as a true casino destination that will draw patrons from both near and far."

Along with Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Southland is benefiting from a 2018 state constitutional amendment that allowed the tracks to build and operate casinos.

The transition to casino gambling coincided with the demise of Southland's dog racing industry.

Greyhound racing was a staple of Southland since it originally opened in 1956.

Three years ago, Southland and the Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association reached an agreement to phase out greyhound racing. The last day for greyhound racing at Southland is Dec. 31.

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