RIVERBOAT TO DOCK IN BOOTHEEL THIS WEEK

CARUTHERSVILLE -- "Boat's a coming 'round the bend."

That will be the cry of Caruthersville and Aztar Corp. officials Thursday when the "City of Caruthersville" riverboat makes its first appearance in Southeast Missouri.

The riverboat, which will make its journey down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers from Jeffersonville, Ind., will house the Casino Aztar, a gambling operation in downtown Caruthersville.

The riverboat casino still has to be outfitted with gaming equipment, said Mike Facenda of the Aztar marketing and communications department.

International Game Technology will start installing slot machines Friday, Facenda said. Table games will be installed March 13.

Pending approval of the Gaming Commission, Casino Aztar is hoping for an April 13 start.

The "City of Caruthersville" riverboat, which can hold about 600 people, will have 500 slot machines, 24 blackjack tables, two roulette wheels and two crap tables.

Aztar's $50 million investment at Caruthersville includes the land-based facility, which will have two levels, a 40,000-square-foot pavilion to house boarding facilities, restaurant, sports bar and lounge, and a 1,000-car parking lot. Aztar estimates that 840,000 to 1.2 million people will visit the boat during its first year.

Construction continues on the land-based pavilion and landing operation, to be completed by June 1. The riverboat will operate from a temporary facility starting in April.

The riverboat casino will operate from a temporary landing facility until the land-based construction is completed.

"The docking barge is currently at Memphis," Facenda said. "It will be coming upriver March 15 or 16,"

Aztar started the first phase of its hiring process last month during a special three-day "Job Fair."

More than 1,000 people applied for 400 to 500 positions.

The company will need a variety of employees, including kitchen and food-service workers, maintenance workers and dealers, when the boat opens next month.

"We're hopeful that the Missouri Gaming Commission will complete their application process by then," Facenda said.

The gaming commission is reviewing riverboat casinos for Aztar and Boyd Gaming Corp.'s Kansas City operation.

Meanwhile, Aztar is looking to its Evansville, Ind., operation, where it has been selected to operate a riverboat gambling casino.

Emil Russell, a casino manager at Caruthersville for the past 11 months, has been promoted to casino manager of the Aztar property at Evansville, which is expected to get under way by mid- to late-summer.

A 310-foot riverboat with a capacity of 2,500 people has been ordered for Evansville.