Page 58: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 1993)

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GAMING VESSEL MARKET: Best Is To Come (Continued from page 59) will be hurt as more vessels and states come on line. "Riverboat casino gaming is a growth part of our business," said

Marc Grossman, vice president of corporate communications at Hilton

Hotels Corp. (Beverly Hills, Calif.).

According to Mr. Grossman, the

Hilton philosophy on the market is not to just plunge into any and all markets, but rather to be selective, looking at all of the opportunities available, particularly those in or near major population centers.

The company is slated to open operation in Kansas City in the spring of 1994.

On the future of the market, he said, "It will continue to grow for the next few years, but at some point there will be a shake-out. We are trying to pinpoint the locations that will provide us with long-term possibilities and returns. We are taking a long-term approach...we may not have the biggest navy, but we believe we will have the best."

The Yards "This is a very exciting area for us right now, as there is activity in nu- merous states," said Gary Lipely, sales and marketing, Trinity Marine

Group. "We are definitely pursuing the Missouri and Indiana market, as well as the boats left in the Louisiana market without a builder yet."

Trinity Marine Group, which oper- ates 13 shipyards (five in Louisiana) and has built more than 14,000 ves- sels in its history, is currently build- ing five casino vessels, including the much anticipated Queen of New Or- leans currently under construction at

Halter Marine, a division of Trinity, for Hilton, and the recently-an- nounced boat for Bally. Mr. Lipely firmly believes it is that experience, as well as the yard's ability to provide on-time, within-budget deliveries, that will help Trinity Marine Group prosper in the gaming vessel market. "In Trinity we have an outstanding supplier," said Mr. Grossman of

Hilton Hotels Corp. "They are provid- ing us with a tremendous product at a good price." Hilton has four vessels under construction at Trinity.

Avondale's Boat Division current- ly has two casino gaming vessels un- der construction, the Catfish Queen and the Boomtown Belle. "These are our first gaming ves- sels, and we feel that we're positioned well enough in the market to predict that we'll get more contracts," said

Curt Chatelain, sales manager,

Avondale Industries Inc., Boat Div.

Based on early response from Jazz

Enterprises, Inc., the Baton Rouge,

La.-based corporation formed solely to develop a land-based development/ca- sino gaming vessel package for the area, Avondale will indeed prosper in the market.

Besides coming in with the most competitive bid to build the Catfish

Queen (which will be operated by

Argosy Gaming), Jazz Enterpris vice president of operation/genei manager Mark Bradley fou

Avondale to be a supplier ready please. "From the beginning th have respected deadlines ai worked with us extensivel (Throughout the process) we met < weekends and at night, and th showed us something. "They gave us the same courte: and respect as they would largi contracts," said Mr. Bradley. T1

Rodney E. Lay & Assoc.-designe vessel is due for May 1994 deliver

Service Marine, another stron competitor in the casino vessel mai ket, has found its 30,000-sq.-ft. ce sino paddlewheel gaming boat i becoming very popular.

The company has recently beei awarded a contract to build a 254 foot vessel for Harrah's Marylant

Heights, Mo. casino, which marks (Continued on page 62,

Atlantic Marine Launches Empress II

On October 8, Atlantic Marine Inc. launched the Empress II, a triple- deck gaming vessel with the capacity for 1,500-passengers. The 238-by 66- foot vessel is being built for Empress

River Casino Corp. of Joliet, 111., and is scheduled to be delivered in De- cember. The Empress II is the second vessel built for this customer.

Designed by Rodney E. Lay & As- sociates, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla., the vessel is powered by two Caterpil- lar 3412TA marine engines with Twin

Disc reduction gears. C aterpillar also supplied two 3508,715 kW generator sets for shipboard electrical ser- vice; a 3208,160 kW generator set for emergency power and a 3208TA engine to power the bow thruster.

A sophisticated heating, air condi- tioning and ventilation system will be provided for year-round pas- senger comfort.

The three ballroom-size casinos on the main and upper decks, with an area of approximately 26,000- sq.-ft., will have 1,200 gaming po- sitions, including 850 slot ma- chines. For more information on the capabilities of Atlantic Marine,

Circle 102 on Reader Service Card

A 150-foot gantry crane sets the forward section of the superstructure on the gaming vessel

Empress II, built at Atlantic Marine.

Circle 247 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News