Renovation Underway for Former Trump Casino Riverboat, Majestic Star II
The former Trump Casino and Trump Princess riverboat, now known as the Majestic Star II, has been moved into Sarnia Harbor in Ontario for renovation. The Majestic Star II was moved from its previous location in Gary, Indiana, on Lake Michigan to the bustling inland waterway in Canada's Ontario province.
Sarnia Harbor is a strategic location in the Great Lakes, known for its high volume of vessel traffic and widespread shipbuilding and renovation activities. The Majestic Star II is expected to remain in Sarnia for six months while undergoing repairs. Its sister riverboat, the Majestic Star, is already in Wisconsin's Sturgeon Bay. Officials in Sarnia Harbor also predict that the Majestic Star will make its way to Ontario in the near future.
Both boats have changed ownership since their casino operations closed in April 2021. The Majestic Star II is now under the control of a private investment firm that specializes in seaway transportation.
Background: Majestic Star Casinos
The original Majestic Star was opened in 1996 by a company called Majestic Holdco, led by Indiana businessman Don Barden. Donald Trump's Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts (later Trump Entertainment Resorts) unveiled the Trump Princess - another casino on Lake Michigan around the same time. The Trump Princess was later rebranded to Trump Casino.
In 2005, Majestic Holdco purchased the Trump Casino license and boat from Trump Entertainment Resorts for $253 million.
In 2018, Indiana-based Spectacle Entertainment reached an agreement to acquire Majestic Holdco and its two Lake Michigan casinos. The exact terms of the acquisition, which was finalized in 2019, were not disclosed. However, Spectacle was more interested in the state-issued gaming licenses on board than the boats themselves.
Indiana legislators passed a law in 2020, allowing land-based casinos. Spectacle seized that opportunity and decided to relocate its gaming concession to a new location roughly five miles inland.
Work on a $300 million casino resort began in early 2020, and it coincided with an investigation by the Indiana Gaming Commission. The investigation revealed that several former Spectacle executives had bribed state lawmakers to pass the land-based casino law in 2005. Spectacle was fined $530,000 and required to sever ties with its founder, Rod Ratcliff. In response, Spectacle began a partnership with Hard Rock International. The Hard Rock Northern Indiana casino opened in May 2021.
The Cost of Riverboat Casinos
The Majestic Star and the Majestic Star II were built for approximately $50 million each. At their peak, the two boats featured over 1,600 slot machines and 60 live dealer table games.
Following the closure of the Majestic Star and Majestic Star II casinos in April 2021, the boats were put up for sale at a price of $6 million apiece. The popularity of riverboat casinos has decreased over time, partially because several states, including Louisiana, Illinois, and Iowa, have made it possible to build casinos above land. Mississippi remains the only state with riverboat-only casino operations.
In recent years, the value of riverboat casinos has declined, partly due to the increasing number of states allowing them to be built on dry land. Mississippi is the only state still relying exclusively on water-based casinos.
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