Wednesday, July 21, 1999
Argosy's take tops Indiana's two other riverboat casinos
BY RACHEL MELCER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDIANAPOLIS — Clanging slot machines and whirring roulette wheels helped Argosy Casino and Hotel in Lawrenceburg remain the nation's most popular riverboat casino for the 14th straight month in June.
Figures released Tuesday by the Indiana Gaming Commission showed that more than 251,000 walked through the turnstiles at Argosy, and many took more than one cruise on a single day, bringing the month's total admissions to 579,538.
Each month, hundreds of thousands of people board Argosy, Grand Victoria Casino and Resort in Rising Sun and Caesars Indiana in Bridgeport, boosting casino profits and state and local tax revenue.
Grand Victoria had about 131,000 visitors and 274,185 admissions in June. Even Caesars, which was closed for more than a week due to environmental problems, had 83,450 passengers and 185,670 admissions.
“We're one of the many attractions in the area that make it a popular place for people to travel,” said Argosy general manager Arnold Block. “The Reds are doing well. There's the zoo, the aquarium. There are a lot of great attractions.”
Hotels at Grand Victoria and Argosy are full every weekend and most weeknights as well.
People from 40 states visited Argosy last month, according to casino records, indicating the summertime ability to draw visitors from beyond the 100-mile radius that makes up the Tristate casinos' main customer base.
“I think with the weather, with people having time and taking vacations, you do get more people coming in. People like to take a ride and come out — especially on the weekend,” said John Spina, general manager at Grand Victoria, which has also seen an influx of visitors from beyond the region.
The booming business also adds up to big bucks. Gamblers lost $25.1 million at Argosy in June; $12 million at Grand Victoria; and $6.8 million at the handicapped Caesars.
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