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Page 43: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 1991)
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Owners, Builders Find
New Expanding Market \
In Gambling Vessels/Riverboat Casinos
New Legislation Could Mean Construction Of 50 Boats In Next 5 Years
Maritime Reporter Staff on the Mississippi River, Lakes
Pontchartrain and Maurepas, Bayou
Bienvenu, the Gulf Intracoastal
Waterway, the Mississippi River
Gulf Outlet, and the Red, Ouachita,
Atchafalaya, Calcasieu and
Mermenteau Rivers. The bill limits the number of licenses to 15 river- boats. All the boats will have to be built and repaired in Louisiana, as well as crewed by state residents and outfitted with gaming equip- ment by state suppliers. The bill also requires all the vessels be paddlewheel driven. The Louisiana yards of the Trinity Marine Group,
Service Marine Industries and
Leevac are expected to be the most important players in this market.
The bill has been sent to Gov.
Buddy Roemer, who is expected to sign it into law.
In Illinois, the M/V Alton Belle
Casino is expected to be the first gambling vessel to operate out of that state when she starts service this month.
In Iowa, where operations began
April 1 of this year, gaming legisla- tion is geared more toward low stakes gambling, The Diamond Lady and Emerald Lady, operated by
Steamboat Development Corp.,
Dubuque Casino Belle and Missis- sippi Belle II, owned by Robert's 44
River Rides and the President, owned by the Connelly Group, are in service now, with several others ex- pected to join them later this year.
The Largest On
The Mississippi
Delivered by Patti Shipyards,
Pensacola, Fla., the Victorian-style riverboat Dubuque Casino Belle is reportedly the largest passenger vessel and gambling boat operating on the Mississippi. Owned by Rob- erts River Rides and operating out of Dubuque, Iowa, the 387-foot four- deck floating casino, fully outfitted with its gaming equipment, was built at a cost of about $12 million. U.S.
Coast Guard-certified to carry 2,000 passengers, the Dubuque Casino
Belle was reportedly the first Ameri- can-flagged vessel to receive a li- cense for casino gambling.
Although designed to resemble a 19th century sidewheeler, the
Dubuque Casino Belle is fitted with a modern screw propulsion. Three
Cummins model KTA38-M diesel engines, supplied by Northern Iowa
Diesel of Dubuque, produce a total horsepower of2,400 hp at 1,800 rpm.
Power is transmitted to her three
Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
Laws Offer
New Opportunities
For Shipyards
With the return of the Missis- sippi gambler, small- and medium- sized shipyards have found a new niche market, one which could offer significant construction opportuni- ties over the next three to five years.
Conservative estimates place the number of these vessels to be built in the next five years at over 50.
Bayou La Batre, Alabama, builder
Steiner Shipyard, for one, is plan- ning to capitalize on the booming casino boat market. "Casino boats are the hottest segment of the entire marine construction industry," said
Russell Steiner, the company's president.
The Legislation
After years of political maneu- vering, state counties in Iowa, Illi- nois and Mississippi have approved legislature legalizing riverboat gam- bling. The Louisiana legislature recently passed a bill legalizing riverboat gambling. Revenues for
Louisiana alone are projected at $20 million to $30 million per year. The bill would allow riverboat gambling
Michigan Work Horse 64-inch-di- ameter propellers via Aquamet shafting and three ZF BW-251 trans- missions. The Dubuque Casino
Belle, with a beam of 58 feet, draft of 5 feet, is actually an integrated com- bination vessel, consisting of a 100- foot power module and 250-foot pas- senger barge connected by a winch cable system.
She has three casinos, with a 272- seat theater lounge and bar, and two dining areas, as well as the children's play area, and souvenir gift shop.
DUBUQUE CASINO BELLE
Equipment List
Main engines (3) Cummins
Propellers Michigan
Thrusters (2) Thrustmaster
Generator engine Cummins
ZF
Engine controls Schrader-Bellows
Steering controls Custom Hydraulics
Shafting Aquamet
Coatings Seaguard
VHF radio Kenwood
Radar Furuno
Fire pump MCM
Bilge pumps MP. Pump (continued)