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Casino boat could be taking wagers soon
Published December 19, 2005
FREEPORT — A star is soon hoping to outshine prior attempts by a mermaid, a princess, a palace and a treasure for gamblers to try their hand with Lady Luck.
Texas Star, a casino boat docked at Bridge Harbor, is slated to start gambling cruises as early as Jan. 15, said Jackie Jackson, chief operating officer for Texas Star Casino Boats. Workers are in the midst of breaking ground on the 12,000-square-foot pavilion that will house a bingo room, a travel agency, a bar and passenger boarding.
The casino is the first of a three-phase project that could cost as much as $20 million, Jackson said. The second phase includes plans for a
60-slip marina, while the third phase would construct 60 condominiums, he said.
Jackson anticipated the boarding terminal would be finished in three weeks. Once it’s complete, Freeport building and fire department officials will inspect the building to give certificates of occupancy, building inspector Alfredo Moreno said.
“They’re trying to do everything they can do to comply with our ordinances and laws and regulations they’re bound by,” Moreno said.
Initially, company officials hoped to start gambling trips at the end of July, but the maiden voyage continues to be delayed. The most recent delay is the result of changing the boat’s flag status from Sierra Leone to a domestic vessel, Jackson said. The procedure, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard, will cost the company a half-million dollars, Jackson said, but in a post-Sept. 11 world of heightened security, it has becomemore problematic for ships to operate under a foreign flag.
While it awaits an American flag, the interior is nearly primed for business. Slot machines light up the first-floor cabin of the 167-foot-long boat while, on the second floor, gaming tables await their green felt covers. On the third deck, an open area will house a poker room, full bar and stage for entertainment.
Jackson navigated his way through narrow staircases to expansive game rooms. For $10 per person, up to 400 gamblers can place bets on craps, blackjack, roulette, poker or slot machines, Jackson said. The Texas Star will embark from its dock at 307 Sailfish Drive and sail nine miles offshore, where gambling becomes legal, he said.
“It’s an entertainment,” Jackson said. “That’s the way we view it.”
For gamblers wanting to board while the ship is out on 12-hour voyages, the company will operate a shuttle program starting in April, Jackson said. A 110-foot crew boat will ferry gamblers to the Texas Star every three hours, he said.
The Texas Star is not the first casino boat venture Freeport has seen. In fall 2004, the Magic Mermaid tried to swim, but its operations sank. In February 2002, Texas Treasure Casino Cruises abandoned its voyages, despite promises of returning. A year before that, the Surfside Princess in Freeport was seized for nonpayment of debt. And a decade before that, The Sea Palace just up and left town.
Texas Star Casino’s financial backing will make it a success where others failed, Jackson said. The venture is one of 17 privately owned companies with adequate capital for cash flow, he said.
“We do have the financial resources that a lot of other companies didn’t have that’s very, very crucial the first three months,” Jackson said.
City Manager Ron Bottoms hoped Texas Star succeeds.
“We’re supportive of any new business that comes into our community,” he said.
Bridie Isensee covers the city of Freeport for The Facts. Contact her at (979) 237-0149.
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