Page 48: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 1994)

Gam ing Vessel Supplement

PROJECT UPDATE

Plans For Home Of

Avondale-Built Catfish

Queen Well Underway

The message "Build it, and they will come," heard in the movie Field of Dreams, could be altered slightly to "Revitalize it, and they will come," and applied directly to the riverboat casino market.

Revitalizing a section of a town seems to be a key selling point in most organizations' attempts to capture a riverboat gaming license. While the promises of more employment and tax dollars are strong influences, a well-conceived and planned "redevelopment" of a city section can help one bid stand apart from another. Creating an exciting entertainment destination, which will endure the initial curiosity business flow, is also key in keeping the riverboat gaming business booming, especially as the market becomes saturated.

One such project is Jazz Enterprise's "Catfish

Town Project," a revitalization plan for Baton Rouge's unique historical commercial district, Catfish Town.

Jazz Enterprises has already contracted with

Avondale Boat Div. to build the Rodney E. Lay &

Assoc.-designed, 266- by 77-foot Catfish Queen, a

Detroit Diesel-powered vessel which is due for de- livery this spring, and is to be operated by Argosy

Gaming.

All this, despite having yet to earn a gaming license from the state of Louisiana.

While the gaming boat in this and any project is the obvious draw, the basis of the project is the revitalization of Catfish Town.

The project, according to Jazz Enterprises, is consistent with the Baton Rouge Riverfront Devel- opment Plan of the Downtown Development Dis- trict.

It will provide a focus for downtown develop- ment, which will be stimulated by riverboat gaming allowed under the Louisiana Riverboat Economic

Development and Gaming Control Act.

Jazz Enterprise's Catfish Town will be developed and teamed with the Avondale-built Catfish Queen to constitute a powerful entertainment draw.

Catfish Town will be renovated keeping the historical character of the district, and will promote the traditional entertainment style of central Louisiana.

According to Jazz's stated objectives, a down- town revitalization program can increase an area's share of private investment and custom- ers. To do so, revitalization plans must improve conditions for investment, and create a physical environment that supports the needs of busi- ness and attracts customers. The most success- ful downtown revitalization plans pay attention to the following principles: • activity-generating uses must be clustered together; • pedestrian destinations must be kept within walking distance, or have readily available and easy to use transport; • primary pedestrian ways must be lined with business which generate activity; • the district should be an area that can be walked from end to end in no more than 10 minutes; • must be connected by frequent, inexpensive transportation; • the best downtowns contain a variety of public spaces to accommodate a variety of daily activities, and build upon the cultural and historical aspects of the community.

Look at the provided illustrations for a graphical review of Jazz Enterprises' specific plans for Catfish Town.

For additional information on the vessel building capabilities of Avondale, which is also currently building the Boomtown Belle,

Circle 114 on Reader Service Card

The Phase I renovation of Catfish Town includes a glass enclosure for the existing Catfish Town courtyard. Pas- sengers will use an elevated walkway past Louie's on the

Levee onto a walkway with moving sidewalks to load the

Catfish Queen.

Future phases of the Catfish Town development could include additional hotel rooms, and retail and enter- tainment venues in the Maritime One and Maritime

Two buildings.

The Master Plan for Catfish Town 50 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News