Posted on: February 24, 2023, 12:40h.
Final up to date on: February 24, 2023, 01:18h.
The unique Emerald Queen On line casino riverboat that helped guarantee the financial sovereignty of the Puyallup Tribe in Washington greater than a quarter-century in the past has been offered.
One in all 29 federally acknowledged tribes in Washington, the Puyallup Tribe, like so many different Native American communities throughout the US, turned to gaming in 1996 to function its financial heartbeat. As a substitute of developing a tribal on line casino on its sovereign land, the tribe bought a shuttered Mississippi riverboat on line casino in 1997 and relocated the paddlewheel to Tacoma.
The tribe’s unique Emerald Queen On line casino was berthed within the Port of Tacoma on the Blair Waterway. Following years of success catering to gamblers within the Seattle market, the Puyallup Tribe was financially able to constructing a completely new tribal on line casino on land.
The Emerald Queen On line casino alongside E. twenty ninth St. simply south of Interstate 5 opened in 2001. The tribe continued to function the Emerald Queen riverboat till 2004, when the Puyallups agreed with the Port of Tacoma to shutter the vessel to accommodate extra business improvement of the waterway.
In change, Tacoma allowed the tribe to open one other Emerald Queen On line casino in close by Fife. That gaming venue commenced operations on Dec. 29, 2004.
Riverboat Set for New Use
The Puyallup Tribe held on to its shuttered riverboat because it closed 19 years in the past. However the boat has lastly discovered a purchaser in Spectra Crane and Marina, a Seattle-based agency that leases maritime vessels.
The riverboat served our tribe properly and laid the inspiration for us to open and function the 2 premier casinos within the Northwest,” the Puyallup Tribal Council mentioned in an announcement.
Spectra proprietor Boyer Halverson advised Tacoma’s Information Tribune this week that plans for the previous floating on line casino haven’t but been decided. However he thinks he doubtless overpaid for the boat.
“I can inform you that I in all probability paid an excessive amount of,” Halverson admitted. “However will probably be okay. We are able to make one thing out of it.”
Inbuilt 1995 by Louisiana-based High quality Shipyard and Kehl River Boats at a price of $15 million — $30 million in at the moment’s {dollars} — the three-story vessel with a roof deck has 70,000 sq. toes of inside house. The on line casino was capable of board 2,000 individuals at a time.
The vessel was constructed to imitate the traditional paddlewheel riverboats that plied the Mississippi River within the nineteenth century.
“Born on the bayou, this Cajun gem is a traditional homage to the nation’s proud riverboating heritage, giving credence to any potential plans for a revival as a future clearwater palace — whether or not it’s anchored at port or simply rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ on the river,” the boat’s sale itemizing learn previous to its sale.
The asking value earlier this month was $1 million. Neither the tribe nor Halverson would affirm the ultimate transaction value.
Greener Pastures
The most recent Emerald Queen On line casino is the tribe’s largest and glitziest property but. The tribe opened the brand new built-in resort within the midst of the pandemic in Could 2020.
The $400 million Emerald Queen On line casino is adjoining to the previous land-based Emerald Queen alongside I-5. The on line casino options greater than 2,100 slots, 60 desk video games, and a 250-seat sportsbook.
