Page 69: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 1993)

nowhere from City Pier in New

London harbor. Immediately the legality was questioned by state and federal officials, and on June 30 state officials informed Enter- tainment-A-Float, the operator, that if the vessel entered the port in

New London, it would be seized and the principal officers of the compa- ny would be prosecuted. On July 6, three days after the Europa Jet arrived in New London, the U.S.

District Court, District of Connect- icut, granted an appeal by Enter- tainment-A-Float to enjoin local, state and federal law enforcement officials from seizing or acting against the Europa Jet pending a judgment from the court regarding the company's legal right to oper- ate the cruise-to-nowhere vessel from New London.

The vessel plans to operate two six-hour cruises daily, and its casi- no is open only while the vessel is in international waters.

INDIANA

On June 30, the Indiana General

Assembly overrode Governor Evan

Bayh's veto of a budget bill (H.B. 1001SS) containing riverboat gam- ing provisions that allow as many as 11 gaming vessels in Indiana.

Vessel specifications for the state require a self-propelled vessel at least 150 feet long, and U.S. Coast

Guard-certified to carry 500 pas- sengers.

Vessels operating on the Ohio

River must replicate Indiana steam- boat passenger vessels of the 19th century. The initial gaming license fee is $25,000, with the initial li- cense good for five years.

Thereafter, the license is to be renewed annually after payment of a $5,000 renewal fee.

Gaming vessel operators licensed for Gary must construct or provide for the construction of an approved hotel (with at least 250 rooms), or generate economic development.

Applicants for gaming licenses must have affirmative action plans.

Also, holders of gaming licenses are required to establish goals of reserving at least 10 percent of the dollar value of the licensee's con- tracts for goods and services for minority business enterprises, and five percent for women's business enterprises.

IOWA

In 1993 three bills were intro- duced, and none were passed.

House File (H.F.) 13, would have increased the allowable space for gambling activities on an excursion gaming boat. H.F. 143, would have raised the age restriction for gam- ing from 18 to 21. And Senate File (S.F.) 358 was an attempt to change some of the regulations and increase gaming activities on riverboats and racetracks.

LOUISIANA

On June 18 Louisiana's Gaming

Commission gave preliminary ap- proval to seven applications for riverboat gaming licenses, bringing the number of approved applications to 15, the maximum number of li- censes that may be issued under state law. The applicants still must be approved by the Louisiana State

Police before receiving their licens- es. (NOTE: Louisiana is one of the more legislatively-active states for riverboat gaming. For full details please contact the Transportation

Institute).

MASSACHUSETTS

S.B. 1689 would permit either riverboat or dockside gaming in Mas- sachusetts, depending on the deci- sion of the legislature. The bill, introduced on July 7 and referred to the Joint Committee on Government

Regulations, would permit four waterborne gaming operations in the state, in Springfield, Fall River,

Newburyport and Lowell. A hear- ing on the measure has not been scheduled. H.B. 5364 would permit (Continued on page 72)

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November, 1993

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