1st riverboat casino in U.S. found in Mississippi River
1st riverboat casino in U.S. found in Mississippi River. The Diamond Lady was the first riverboats casino to open in the United States and Biloxi. She sank in Memphis a year ago. Rich Westfall followed the Diamond and Emerald Lady from Bettendorf, Iowa, to Bilocox, and opened the Isle of Capri casino on Aug. 1, 1992.
1st riverboat casino in U.S. found in Mississippi River. Vanna White helped christen Diamond Lady. Bernie Goldstein built the boats in 1990 in Iowa as replicas of the 1880s paddlewheelers that had run the Mississippi.
1st riverboat casino in U.S. found in Mississippi River. The Lucky 7 Pavilion linked the two riverboats and provided space for the poker room and restaurant space. In 1994, the barge replaced the 1800s-style Diamond Lady river boat and Lucky7 Pavilion. It featured 716 slot machines and 76 table games.
BB Riverboats bought the Emerald Lady and converted her into an excursion boat. It's still being used for sightseeing cruises and summer dinner tours along the Mississippi River in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.