Amelia Belle’s gamble pays off

When Hurricane Katrina tossed Bally’s ashore in New Orleans East nearly three years ago, no one would have predicted that the riverboat casino would find new life, under a new name, along a Louisiana bayou.

In fact, on May 16, the Amelia Belle Casino quietly celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Columbia Sussex purchased the boat, formerly Bally’s, in June 2005 from Caesar’s Entertainment for $24 million. Barely two months after the casino opened, Hurricane Katrina roared ashore, seriously damaging the boat’s engine room. But Columbia Sussex was impressed by the Louisiana market, and began scoping out sites to relocate the craft.

It found its mark on Amelia’s Bayou Boeuf, located on Lake Palourde Road.

Former Amelia Belle general manager Bryan Anderson said in an earlier interview that Bayou Bouef stood out because of its land masses on both sides of the waterway: St. Mary Parish to the west and Assumption to the east. Natural access from both vantage points was also a big factor.

Prior to the Amelia Belle’s anchoring in St. Mary, voters’ parishwide were asked to consider a measure allowing riverboat gambling in the area. Councilman Chuck Walters, a longtime proponent of the casino and a key player in attracting the riverboat to St. Mary, spearheaded the move to get the public’s blessing. On July 15, 2006, by an overwhelming margin, the boat received approval.

On May 18, 2007, the Amelia Belle Casino officially opened for business.

Its first 15 days in operation – May 16-31 – the casino took in $2.78 million, according to Louisiana State Police records, an indication that Columbia Sussex’s gamble on the site would pay off.

In its first year of operations, the riverboat has won more than $73.6 million, according to the Louisiana State Police, which monitors gambling earnings. Over 1.1 million customers have visited the casino. The Amelia Belle has paid more than $15.8 million in operating fees to the state.

The casino has undergone change since opening, the most recent coming in December when Bruce Woods, southeast Louisiana’s first African-American casino general manager, was promoted. Woods originally signed on to serve as the riverboat’s director of table game.

“I love this area,” Woods said. “The people here are what makes this job so much fun. They’re so very supportive.”

Woods began his career in the late 1970s at Donald Trump Casinos in Atlantic City. Through the years, he’s worked his way up the ladder. His most recent casino jobs were in Shreveport and Baton Rouge.

In 2006, Columbia Sussex hired him to teach future employees how to deal and play each of the casino’s table games.

“That was such a great opportunity, and it still is for our new director, to help so many people get a good job in one of the nation’s fastest growing careers,” he said.

The Amelia Belle has made good on its promise to parish leaders to hire locally. Almost all 400 employees are Tri-parish residents. The owners have also paid the St. Mary Parish government the first two $1.5 million payments as part of its 10-year agreement in exchange for allowing the riverboat casino to dock on Bayou Bouef.

According to Councilman Walters, the monies Amelia Belle’s owners have paid to the parish “are very instrumental in helping us out with infrastructure and other special services. I am happy to have them as a corporate citizen in this parish,” he added.

St. Mary Parish Chief Administrative Officer said Henry “Bo” LaGrange said the first $1.5 million payment was distributed:

• $450,000 to the sheriff’s office for additional deputies in the Amelia area.

• $50,000 to the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office to handle increased activity in the court.

• $600,000 to Morgan City to pay for the Brashear Avenue extension.

• $375,000 to pay down a $3 million debt service.

• A portion went toward road construction in Amelia.

• Money was used to build the St. Mary Parish Senior Center in Morgan City.

• One-time payments to fire departments in each of the parish’s municipalities – the percentage of which is based on the population served – to use as a down-payment toward the purchase of a new fire truck.

• Funding various organizations, such as the Council on Aging and St. Mary Parish Outreach, that have seen their budgets cut or are financially struggling.

According to LaGrange, a portion of the second installment will go to the sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices, as well as the five municipality governments and fire departments. “The rest will be up to the council,” he said.

May 16 marked the one-year anniversary of the Amelia Belle’s opening in St. Mary Parish. Between that day and May 16 of this year, more than 1.1 million customers have visited the riverboat casino. * File Photo