Casino Aztar Evansville
Encyclopedia
Casino Aztar, located in downtown Evansville, Indiana
, was the first riverboat
casino
in the state of Indiana
, United States. The casino is owned and operated by Tropicana Entertainment
which purchased original owner Aztar Corporation
in 2007.
The main entertainment facility consists of a 2,700 passenger riverboat casino, a 250-room hotel, a 1,660 vehicle parking garage, and pavilion housing pre-boarding facilities, retail shops, restaurants, and lounge area. A new entertainment district with a 100-room boutique hotel and additional restaurants opened in late 2006.
In 2005, the casino generated $137 million in revenue and $41 million in profits. The latest expansion is expected to generate additional revenue gains for the property and help it compete with increasing competition.
's first gaming riverboat
under legislation passed in 1993. It opened to the public in 1995. Built by Jeffboat
in Jeffersonville, Indiana
, the boat is a replica of the historic Robert E. Lee
racing sidewheel steamboat crafted nearly 130 years ago. Jeffboat deployed 200 workers and spent over twelve months constructing the vessel. The exterior was designed by RA Stern, Inc. to appear as if the boat is straight from the Civil War
era; the interior, designed by Morris & Brown Architects, Ltd., is purely Las Vegas
glamor.
The boat is 310 ft (94.5 m) long by 70 ft (21.3 m) wide, has a depth of 14 ft (4.3 m) by 6 in (15.2 cm) and stands 80 ft (24.4 m) above water level (including stacks). It weighs 1,589 tons and has a maximum draft of 7 inch There is a total of 47863 sq ft (4,446.6 m²) of public space.
Casino Aztar Hotel
The Casino Aztar Hotel opened its doors on December 17, 1996. Overlooking Casino Aztar and the Ohio River, the hotel has 250 guest room and suites; meeting, conference and banquet facilities; and a fitness room. The Casino Aztar Hotel also offers 10 suites, ranging from two and three room suites. Each suite features a whirlpool bath, sofa sleeper, wet bar, and mini-bar.
Le Merigot
Le Merigot, which opened its doors on December 28, 2006, was designed by Los Angeles-based interior designer Laurence Lee. This 100-room boutique hotel
features Italian bed linens, LCD flat screen televisions in both bedroom and bath, in-room high speed Internet
access, MP3
input, and glass-enclosed showers with multi-unit body sprays and overhead rain maker showerheads. The suites at Le Merigot offer guests a living and dining room area, master bedroom, and oversized bath complete with a soaking tub.
Casino Aztar's Riverfront Pavilion is designed to reflect the turn-of-the-century charm of downtown Evansville. The interior feature building facades inspired by buildings that in the early 1900s graced Evansville's downtown riverfront. These facades were constructed from materials indigenous to this area. The streetscapes offer a multitude of textures and colors with a "park-like" central theme. This complex houses a variety of dining and entertainment options. An enclosed walkway links the pavilion to a 250-room hotel, complete with meeting and banquet facilities. A seven story parking garage offers over 1,600 sheltered parking spaces with easy access to the casino, hotel, and pavilion.
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
, was the first riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
in the state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, United States. The casino is owned and operated by Tropicana Entertainment
Tropicana Entertainment
Tropicana Entertainment Inc, is a privately owned but publicly reporting corporation located in Las Vegas, Nevada, that owns or operates 9 casinos and resorts in the United States....
which purchased original owner Aztar Corporation
Aztar
Aztar Corporation is a hospitality company that focused on resort hotels and casinos. In 2005, the company had revenues of more than $915 million and earnings before interest and taxes of $212 million. During 2006 the company became the subject of a bidding war for ownership, with Columbia Sussex...
in 2007.
The main entertainment facility consists of a 2,700 passenger riverboat casino, a 250-room hotel, a 1,660 vehicle parking garage, and pavilion housing pre-boarding facilities, retail shops, restaurants, and lounge area. A new entertainment district with a 100-room boutique hotel and additional restaurants opened in late 2006.
In 2005, the casino generated $137 million in revenue and $41 million in profits. The latest expansion is expected to generate additional revenue gains for the property and help it compete with increasing competition.
The Vessel
The actual casino boat, called "City of Evansville", is the state of IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
's first gaming riverboat
Riverboat
A riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such...
under legislation passed in 1993. It opened to the public in 1995. Built by Jeffboat
Jeffboat
Jeffboat is the largest inland shipbuilder in the United States, located in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It is the second-largest builder of barges...
in Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville, Indiana
Jeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
, the boat is a replica of the historic Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee (steamboat)
The Robert E. Lee, nicknamed the "Monarch of the Mississippi," was a steamboat built in New Albany, Indiana in 1866. The hull was designed by DeWitt Hill, and the riverboat cost more than $200,000 to build. It was named for Robert E...
racing sidewheel steamboat crafted nearly 130 years ago. Jeffboat deployed 200 workers and spent over twelve months constructing the vessel. The exterior was designed by RA Stern, Inc. to appear as if the boat is straight from the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era; the interior, designed by Morris & Brown Architects, Ltd., is purely Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
glamor.
The boat is 310 ft (94.5 m) long by 70 ft (21.3 m) wide, has a depth of 14 ft (4.3 m) by 6 in (15.2 cm) and stands 80 ft (24.4 m) above water level (including stacks). It weighs 1,589 tons and has a maximum draft of 7 inch There is a total of 47863 sq ft (4,446.6 m²) of public space.
The Hotels
The Casino Aztar Hotel opened its doors on December 17, 1996. Overlooking Casino Aztar and the Ohio River, the hotel has 250 guest room and suites; meeting, conference and banquet facilities; and a fitness room. The Casino Aztar Hotel also offers 10 suites, ranging from two and three room suites. Each suite features a whirlpool bath, sofa sleeper, wet bar, and mini-bar.
Le Merigot
Le Merigot, which opened its doors on December 28, 2006, was designed by Los Angeles-based interior designer Laurence Lee. This 100-room boutique hotel
Boutique hotel
Boutique hotel is a term popularized in North America and the United Kingdom to describe intimate, usually luxurious or unique hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized accommodation and services / facilities...
features Italian bed linens, LCD flat screen televisions in both bedroom and bath, in-room high speed Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
access, MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
input, and glass-enclosed showers with multi-unit body sprays and overhead rain maker showerheads. The suites at Le Merigot offer guests a living and dining room area, master bedroom, and oversized bath complete with a soaking tub.
Riverfront Pavilion