STATION CASINOS
Alabama Shipyard And Hollywood Park To Build Casino Vessel
Alabama Shipyard and Hollywood Park have signed a contract to construct a casino vessel for the Belterra Resort and Casino in Switzerland County, Indiana. Known as a diversified gaming company, Hollywood Park received the last available license to conduct riverboat gaming operations on the Ohio River in September 1998. The fourteenth casino vessel to be built by Los Angeles-based Hollywood Park, the vessel measures 370 ft. (112.7 m) with a beam of 104 ft. (31.6 m) - making it one of the largest casino vessels in operation. Designed by Rodney E. Lay and Associates, the casino boat, which is to be delivered in July 2000, will feature 1,800 gaming positions.
J.Ray McDermott Begins Construction on Casino Barges
The Houston Business Journal has reported that J. Ray McDermott Inc has begun construction on two specialty barges for Harrah's Entertainment Inc. The two casino barges currently under construction will become part of Harrah's Horseshoe Casino expansion project in Hammond, Ind. Each measures 276 feet long by 102 feet wide and 22 feet deep, with a weight of about 1,700 tons. They will be combined with four other barges being built elsewhere to create a 564-foot long
Lawsuit Aimed at Stopping Casino Boat
Florida Attorney General Bob Butterworth filed a complaint in Volusia Circuit Court, seeking to force SunCruz Casinos to get rid of the slot machines and other casino games on one of its cruise-to-nowhere boats, which docks in Ponce Inlet. The refusal by the U.S. Supreme Court to tamper with a lower court ruling that federal law does not prevent states from deciding their existing laws prohibiting land-based casino gaming also apply to cruise-to-nowhere operations may have been the motivation
State-Owned Casino Proposed
Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar (R), floated the idea of a state-owned riverboat casino, with profits earmarked to help the state's ailing horseracing industry. Democrats said they were open to the concept, but would want the casino in Chicago, where state law currently bans their operation. The governor suggested the state could acquire the riverboat license held by the Silver Eagle casino, in East Dubuque, which shut down in July 1997
Florida Ships Raided
Owners and operators of six South Florida casino ships were charged with violating Florida gaming laws. Civil complaints were filed against the operators of three SunCruz casino vessels in Hollyood, Riviera Beach and Key Largo; New SeaEscape, which sails out of Port Everglades; Monte Carlo, of Pompano Beach and Palm Beach Princess, which sails from Riviera Beach. Additionally, all the ships but Palm Beach Princess were charged with allowing gambling within Florida's territorial waters (which
Plaintiffs Cannot Be Seamen When Not Sail in Navigable Waters
In Solomon v. Blue Chip Casino, Inc., 2002 WL 1763935 (Ind.App. July 31, 2002), the court found the casino boat worker plaintiffs (a slot representative and a table games specialist) could not pursue Jones Act seaman claims against the vessel owner when the section of Trail Creek upon which the casino boat is moored in not "navigable in fact." The boat was situated in a "small, man-made, rectangular area of water that was dug out of dry land connected to Trail Creek by a narrow and shallow
Eastern Wins Casino Vessel Contract
The Big M Casino, Inc of Fort Myers, Fla., has awarded a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Panama City, Florida to construct a casino vessel. The as yet unnamed vessel will join the existing vessel, Royal Gambler, in providing offshore casino services to the Fort Myers market. The vessel was designed by John W. Gilbert and Associates, a prominent naval architect firm located in Hingham, Massachusetts. The interior design will be performed by Bauer Interiors of New Orleans, Louisiana
Former Louisiana Governor Indicted
Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards and his son were indicted on federal charges in connection with a riverboat casino corruption investigation. Also charged in the case were three Edwards associates and a state senator. Edwards was charged with 30 counts, including racketeering, extortion, conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud and illegal wiretapping, in connection with extracting money from applicants for riverboat casino licenses, or, in the case of the wiretapping
Report: Gulf Coast Economic Recovery Remains Mixed
Employment statistics, sales tax collections, large construction projects and other key economic indicators point to an accelerating recovery in many Gulf Coast communities damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Economic growth driven by construction and manufacturing in Pascagoula, Miss., and Lake Charles, La., parallels the aggressive recovery patterns that most regions encounter following a major natural disaster
Cruise-to-Nowhere Measure Introduced
U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) introduced legislation (H.R. 316) that threatens to halt, and even reverse the expansion of the offshore gaming industry. Under existing law, offshore gaming in international water is legal, unless states pass laws specifically prohibiting the activity. Wolf's bill would reverse the situation, requiring states that want offshore casino vessels pass laws to allow them. Offshore gaming operations would be outlawed in states that have not passed laws to legalize
Coast Guard Evacuate 78 From Blazing Fishing Vessel
Crewmembers aboard the 314-ft fishing vessel 'Arctic Storm' extinguised an engine-room fire using the ship's Halon chemical firefighting system. The Coast Guard continues to respond to the vessel approximately 30 miles west of Grays Harbor, Wash.
Coast Guard World War Memorial Restored and Rededicated
The Coast Guard World War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery was dedicated May 23, 1928, as a tribute to the Coast Guardsmen who lost their lives in World War I. During the past year, the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Chief Petty Officer Association led a collaborative effort of 37
Survivor’s Mom Sends Cookies to USCG
Jordan Hanssen, recently rescued OAR Northwest transatlantic rower, sponsored by the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) made great efforts to visit his rescuers at two USCG stations for Military Appreciation Month last week. Both the Clearwater and Miami Coast Guard Air Stations involved in the
Fincantieri Awarded Pemamek Welding Automation Contract
Fincantieri and its Monfalcone Shipyard decided to continue with a Pemamek welding automation technology in shipyard’s production lines. Fincantieri ordered a unique profile processing line and one side welding station with laser-hybrid process and integrated milling
USCG Medevacs Man from Bulk Carrier off Va. Coast
The Coast Guard medevaced a 46-year-old man Monday from a 968-foot bulk carrier while the ship was anchored near Cape Charles. The ship's agent of the KM Osaka contacted Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads watchstanders at approximately 6:45 p.m
Tideland Warning Systems for Golden Eagle Platforms
Tideland Signal supplied a package of Syncrolan LED light stations and fog signals for the Golden Eagle Area development in the U.K. sector of the North Sea, about 43 miles (69 kilometers) from Aberdeen. Tideland's warning systems will protect both Golden Eagle's wellhead platform and the
New Coast Guard Response Boat Delivered
Coast Guard Station Charlevoix, Michigan, accept delivery of the station’s new 45-foot Response Boat-Medium, built by Marinette Marine, of Manitowoc, Wis. The RB-M can respond faster than previous boats of similar size with a top speed in excess of 40 knots and has advanced search
New Control Systems Installed on USS Mount Whitney
Naval Sea Systems Command completed the installation of new control systems aboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), April 8, which will reduce fuel usage and crew workload. Engineers from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division - Ship Systems Engineering Station SSES
Belize Court Stymies Offshore Drilling Plans
Belize's Supreme Court declared offshore drilling contracts issued by the Government of Belize (in 2004 and 2007) null and void. The ruling, handed down by Justice Oswell Legall , was in response to a case brought by Oceana, COLA, and the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage
ABB HVDC Technology Aids Offshore Wind Power Transmission
World’s most powerful HVDC Light® sets new record voltage level of ±320 kV- more than 50 per cent higher than existing record. The HVDC Light converter station was energized at the Dörpen West substation in northern Germany, for the Dutch-German transmission system operator
Norsafe Continues Expansion
Norsafe opened a new service station in Perth, Australia. This offers their customers better access to service, maintenance, spare parts and training for lifesaving systems in the region. The new establishment will strengthen after sales services and the supply of spare parts for Norsafe
New Dutch Waterway Bunker Station
The Gorinchem Ferry Service & Damen Shipyards Group collaborate to install a modular pontoon with a jetty for the bunker station. “What started as a mooring pontoon with a small gas oil tank for the ferry service has expanded into a complete bunker station”, says Jeroen van Woerkum
Germany Offshore Transmission Station Contract Awarded
Seaway Heavy Lifting contracted by Siemens AG for the transportation & installation of the German North Sea jacket & transmission station. The contractors say that the 5,800 tonnes jacket will be installed by Heavy Lift Vessel “Oleg Strashnov”
Wilhelmsen Grows Safety Services in Australia
Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) has expanded and upgraded its premises and service station facilities in Darwin in direct response to market demand for the Life Raft Exchange (LRE) program. Geoff Brown, General Manager for the Northern Territory and South Australia said
Seaspan’s Selects PEMA Equipment for NSPS Project
The National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy (NSPS) is an initiative of the Canadian Government to build new ships for the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard. Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards won the right to bid on the non-combat vessels under this strategy