May 25
May 21, 2007Sheila Boudreaux
May 23, 2007
Louisiana’s newest casino opened in Amelia Friday.
The Amelia Belle Casino in south Louisiana’s St. Mary Parish opened at noon with more than 800 slot machines and 22 table games. It also includes a buffet restaurant featuring Cajun specialties.
Friday’s opening followed a Wednesday test run during which money handling and accounting procedures were observed by the Louisiana State Police and approved by Louisiana Gaming Control Board officials, General Manager Neal Narder said.
The casino currently employs 425 people and made its first annual payment of $1.56 million to the parish last Wednesday. It is one of 13 casinos owned and operated by Tropicana Casinos and Resorts Inc., formerly Columbia Sussex.
