Caruthersville barge, casino riverboat moved nearby to SEMO Port

Larry "Cowboy" Proemsey has taken possession of the former Century Casino riverboat in Caruthersville, Missouri, along with the boat's landing barge and two pedestrian bridges, and all are now for sale in Cape Girardeau.

Proemsey, owner/operator of Cowboys Cranes of Villa Ridge, Missouri — a hoisting, rigging, demolition and general contractor firm — took ownership of the boat, barge and bridges Feb. 25, and has since moved everything north from Pemiscot County to a spot along the Mississippi River nearby to SEMO Port in Scott City.

"I'll sell them as a package or piece by piece," said Proemsey, who declined to speculate about an overall value but is accepting offers.

The site of the former floating Century Casino Caruthersville riverboat, purchased by a Villa Ridge, Missouri, company in February and now for sale. The boat, its landing barge and two pedestrian walkways are moored on the Mississippi River near SEMO Port awaiting offers.Submitted

The site of the former floating Century Casino Caruthersville riverboat, purchased by a Villa Ridge, Missouri, company in February and now for sale. The boat, its landing barge and two pedestrian walkways are moored on the Mississippi River near SEMO Port awaiting offers.Submitted

History

The riverboat, built in 1988 and originally known as M/V West Virginia Belle, was retrofitted as a floating casino and moved to Caruthersville.

The boat was put into service, along with its barge, in April 1995.

Missouri Senate Bill 26, permitting excursion gaming to transition from floating to non-floating facilities, became law Aug. 28, 2021.

Following the implementation of the legislation, Missouri Gaming Commission OK'd the temporary relocation of Century Casino Caruthersville into a land-based pavilion in October.

The casino moved into the pavilion in December while a $51.9 million new casino and hotel is built with Jackson's Penzel Construction as general contractor.

The pavilion will remain open for gaming while the new facility is built, according to Lyle Randolph, Century Casino vice president of operations, who added that the casino and hotel should be open in late 2024.

The new Pemiscot County facility is imagined as a 27,000-square-foot casino with a new "casual" restaurant and 38 hotel rooms.

A rendering of the new $51.9 million Century Casino Caruthersville, a land-based casino and hotel. The casino's former home, a riverboat, is now for sale along with its landing barge and pedestrian walkways.Submitted

A rendering of the new $51.9 million Century Casino Caruthersville, a land-based casino and hotel. The casino's former home, a riverboat, is now for sale along with its landing barge and pedestrian walkways.Submitted

Cape Girardeau

Century's six-story, 69-room casino hotel in Cape Girardeau at 777 N. Main St. remains under construction.

Penzel Construction is also the contractor for the Cape Girardeau project, with an estimated completion date in the first half of 2024, said Randolph, who added that the Cape Girardeau hotel investment stands at $31 million.