The old Tropicana-Casino Aztar riverboat recently left its dock on the Ohio River in Evansville, Indiana to become a Louis Armstrong jazz club-restaurant-memorial in New Orleans. Just a few days earlier the Tropicana opened its new million land-based casino, near its hotels. Opened in December 1995, the Casino Aztar riverboat was the first riverboat casino in Indiana.
The vessel’s first stop was at Evansville Marine Services to prepare for its longer voyage to New Orleans. Its tall smokestacks will be removed so it can safely travel under bridges.
Before the boat shipped out, casino employees, city officials and citizens gathered to say goodbye. A former captain, John Vize, originally brought the vessel to Evansville and lived on it for a week. “I’m glad to see it’s going to be used. I hope they do what they say they’re going to do. It’s going to be a big deal to get this back in shape and make it into what they want it to be. So I hope they succeed.”
The LST 325, the city’s historic floating World War II ship, mostly likely will occupy the vacated Casino Aztar spot, but officials said that may take up to a year.
