Riverboat Casino In New Orleans Louisiana
State lawmakers legalized gambling in Louisiana 25 years ago, with Harrah's Casino in New Orleans being the only one allowed to operate on land. Meanwhile, other gambling sites had to operate out. The zest of New Orleans infuses the Treasure Chest Casino, and the vibrant atmosphere of famous events and destinations like Las Vegas, the Caribbean, and Mardi Gras are reflected throughout the riverboat. Located in the New Orleans suburb of Kenner, Treasure Chest features 24,000 square feet of dockside casino action along Lake Pontchartrain. EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The city's former Tropicana casino riverboat this weekend reopened as a New Orleans luxury entertainment venue. After it was rechristened as Riverboat Louis Armstrong in a. Bally`s Belle of Orleans 1 Stars and Stripes Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana Stats Table games: – Gaming machines: – Poker tables: – 24/7: No Parking: No Valet: No Casino sq/ft: – Convention sq/ft: – Amenities Poker Room: – Hotels: New Orleans Hotels Rates: – Spas: – Venues: – Attractions: – Golf: – Restaurants – Review.
Amelia Belle Casino | |
---|---|
Location | Amelia, Louisiana |
Address | 500 Lake Palourde Rd |
Opening date | 1994 |
Total gaming space | 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) |
Notable restaurants | The Cajun Buffet Bayou Cafe |
Casino type | Riverboat |
Owner | Boyd Gaming |
Previous names | Bally's New Orleans Belle of Orleans |
Coordinates | 29°39′41″N91°05′59″W / 29.66139°N 91.09972°W |
Website | AmeliaBelleCasino.com |
Amelia Belle Casino is a riverboat casino located in Amelia, Louisiana. It is owned by Boyd Gaming.
History[edit]
The riverboat casino's history begins in 1994 as Bally's New Orleans Casino and owned by Caesars Entertainment. The name was later changed to the Belle of Orleans.
In 2004, Bally's Belle of New Orleans managed to have the property re-assessed by the Louisiana Tax Commission for $6.5 million, citing the market prices of former casino boats, even though Bally's was still in operation at the time. Previously in 2002, Erroll Williams, the 3rd district assessor, assessed the riverboat at $21.6 million, noting a $33 million construction cost and a 12-year depreciation schedule. It had also previously been granted an exemption on a 3% tax increased imposed on other riverboat casinos in 2001.[1] Also in 2004, a federal probe began into Bally's reduction of its tax liability by 70%, which saved the casino $1 million over 3 years.[2] In late 2004, Columbia Sussex, looking to become a key player in casino operations, first expressed interest in purchasing the Bally's New Orleans property.[3] The sale of Bally's New Orelans to Columbia Sussex was announced in late 2004 and was projected to close in 2005. Simultaneously, Caesars Entertainment was in the process of being acquired by Harrah's.[4] One of the reasons for the sale of the casino was avoiding competition with Harrah's New Orleans once Harrah's had acquired Caesars Entertainment, and, at the time, the Bally's property was its smallest casino.[5] In 2006, the Orleans Levee Board was allowed to seize the boat by a federal judge after Columbia Sussex failed to pay $1.3 million in lease payments. The court order gave Columbia Sussex 10 days to settle the delinquent debt.[6] Later in 2006, voters had the chance to decide whether or not to allow the boat's relocation to St. Mary Parish. The boat had been moved from its Lake Pontchartrain location to Mobile, Alabama for repairs after it broke loose from its moorings and slammed into a pier during Hurricane Katrina.[7]
In 2007, after the ship was repaired in Mobile, Alabama following extensive storm damage from Hurricane Katrina, the riverboat was towed to Bayou Boeuf to its new home in Amelia, Louisiana. Since Bayou Boeuf is part of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, it is deemed one of nine channels in Louisiana where riverboat casinos are permitted.[8] It became the second casino in St. Mary Parish, joining the Cypress Bayou Casino in Charenton, which became the first Native casino in the state when it opened in 1993. It opened for business on May 17, 2007.[9]
In 2009, Peninsula Gaming, which also owned Evangeline Downs, bought the Amelia Belle for $106.5 million from Columbia Sussex. Prior to that, there were plans to swap the riverboats of Belle of Baton Rouge and Amelia Belle, but those plans were scrapped when Tropicana Entertainment, owner of the Belle of Baton Rouge, filed for bankruptcy.[10] In 2012, Boyd Gaming acquired Peninsula Gaming for $200 million, plus $1.2 billion in debt.
In 2015, the site of the former Bally's on Lake Pontchartrain near the Lakefront Airport at the South Shore Marina was planned to be re-developed into an outdoor water park and music venue.[11]
Property information[edit]
The casino consists of over 800 slot machines and 11 table games in its 30,000 square feet of gaming space. Amelia Belle uses Boyd's 'B Connected' players card, linked to many other properties. There are two restaurants, The Cajun Buffet and the Bayou Cafe. The casino is open Monday through Thursday 9am-4am, and then 24 hours a day on the weekend.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Lowballing a Paddlewheel'. Casino City Times. March 9, 2004. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Feds Probing Decisions on Caesars Casino'. Casino City Times. June 28, 2004. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Inside Gaming: Colony May Have Eye for Rio Buy'. Casino City Times. October 4, 2004. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Caesars to Sell Bally's Casino New Orleans'. Casino City Times. October 25, 2004. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^Benson, Liz (October 25, 2004). 'More Sales May Follow Caesars' New Orleans Riverboat Deal'. Casino City Times. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Judge Allows Casino Boat Seizure'. Casino City Times. January 18, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Voters Will Decide Louisiana Casino Boat's Fate'. Casino City Times. July 12, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^Zullo, Robert (April 8, 2007). 'Amelia Belle riverboat casino nears opening'. Houma Today. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Amelia Belle Casino Opens for the First Time'. WAFB. May 17, 2007. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^'Track owner buying Amelia Belle casino'. Greater Baton Rouge Business Report. June 23, 2009. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
- ^Whitworth, Camille (January 28, 2015). 'Tipitina's owner, company negotiate redevelopment of old Bally's riverboat casino site'. WDSU. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
External links[edit]
Types of Casinos in New Orleans
There are three types of casinos in New Orleans: two riverboat casinos, one pari-mutuel casino, and one land-based casino. There are some differences between the three types of casinos and thatis explained below.
Riverboat Casinos in New Orleans
In 1991, Louisiana was the fourth state to approve riverboat casinos and its gaming law allows a maximum of 15 riverboat casinos statewide. All Louisiana riverboat casinos must remain docksideand they are not allowed to cruise.
There are two riverboat casinos in New Orleans and both offer electronic gaming machines, as well as a variety of table games.
Pari-Mutuel Casinos in New Orleans
There is one New Orleans casino that is located at a horseracing track. That pari-mutuel casino, Fair Grounds Race Course, only offers slot machines. It does not have any table games,nor does it have any video poker games.
Bally's Riverboat Casino New Orleans
Land-Based Casinos in New Orleans
Louisiana law allows for one land-based casino in New Orleans. That casino is Harrah's located in downtown New Orleans near the waterfront and just a few blocks from Bourbon Street. That casinooffers electronic gaming machines, as well as an assortment of table games.
Gambling Laws in New Orleans
Gaming regulations require that gaming machines at all (non-Indian) New Orleans casinos be programmed to pay back no less than 80% and no more than 99.9%. The payback percentagesfor slot machines at all New Orleans casinos, as well as all Louisiana casinos, are released as a matter of public record. Just click here to see a list of slot machine payback statistics for all New Orleans casinos.
If you happen to win a jackpot of $1,200 or more in a Louisiana casino, the casino will withhold 6% of your winnings for the Louisiana Department of Revenue. You may get some of that moneyrefunded, by filing a state income tax return. Depending on the details of your return, you may get some of the money back. The $1,200 limit would also apply to any cash prizes won in casinodrawings and/or tournaments.
The minimum gambling age is 21 for all casinos in New Orleans and 18 for pari-mutuel betting.
List of Casinos in New Orleans
Shown below is a list of all New Orleans casinos. Click on a name to see a page of detailed information about that particular casino.
New Orleans Riverboat Tour
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For more information on visiting New Orleans casinos, or for general tourism information, call the city’s tourism department at (504) 566-5011 or visit their website at www.neworleanscvb.com.