A ribbon is cut, opening the state’s first land-based casino in Evansville.
People waited in long lines to be among the first customers at the new single-story Tropicana casino, built between the Tropicana Hotel and the Le Marigot on Riverside Drive.
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke noted it’s the first land-based casino to open in Indiana.
("That's as a result of a lot of hard work by the Indiana legislature, specifically the local legislative delegation, the state gaming commission had to approve this, so a lot of things had to happen to get to this day.")
Winnecke told WNIN you don’t have to be a gambler to enjoy the $50 million facility.
("You can come in and enjoy live entertainment on one end, or come down and have a great lunch or dinner on the other, there's a big deli on one end so you can just come in, have a bite to eat and people watch.")
The colorful, 75,000 square-foot casino replaces Evansville’s gaming boat, which opened 22 years ago as the state’s first floating casino.
Winnecke said he’s “cautiously optimistic” that LST 325 will move to the spot currently occupied by the now-closed riverboat late next year.
The riverboat is expected to be sold for scrap.
