MARKSVILLE, LA – Paragon Casino Resort has unveiled a new bald eagle sculpture to greet visitors when they enter the casino resort’s main entrance. The eagle statue is 13 ft. tall and mounted on top of a 10-ft.-tall structure, which is comprised of 23,000 pounds of boulders. The elaborate sculpture also features live fire and waterfalls. The entire piece is constructed with high-density foam and covered in a durable fiberglass material, ensuring the statue will be resilient.
Staying true to its mission to boost Central Louisiana residents and businesses, Paragon commissioned GibKo Nursery in Bunkie, LA, for the sculpture’s design and execution.
“We are always seeking to improve and upgrade Paragon Casino Resort to be the absolute best we can be for our guests,” said Paragon Casino Resort General Manager Marshall Ray Sampson, Sr. “Having this sculpture completed not only enhances the property for visitors, but allows us to spotlight a local business’s expansive talent.”
The new sculpture is part of a property-wide renovation, which will be completed in early 2024, and includes upgrades to 190 guest rooms, 24 suites and several common areas around the property.
As Paragon Casino Resort approaches its 30th anniversary this summer, casino resort management has called on its roots to bring the past into the present. The bald eagle is significant to the Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, which owns and operates Paragon Casino Resort. The eagle is the primary feature in the tribe’s logo and represents the story of Eagle and The Sun.
According to Tunica-Biloxi, the eagle is a messenger of the tribe’s prayers to the sun, their Creator. The waterfall display of the sculpture represents the mighty Mississippi River, which historically connected the Tunica, Biloxi, Ofo, Avoyel and Choctaw people to tribes as far north as Minnesota and even into Canada. The Mississippi River was a major trade route for tribes and played a tangible role in the expansion of the United States. The live fire feature of the sculpture also has symbolic meaning for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. In Tunica-Biloxi stories, fire possessed the power to shapeshift into men, women and animals.
“This grand sculpture represents three powerful symbols for our tribe: fire, water and the great bald eagle,” said Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Marshall Pierite. “This display is now a testament of Tunica-Biloxi’s and Paragon’s efforts to keep relevant the history of our tribe and pass down the culture for generations of tribal members to come.”
