What will you think when you hear the name Casino Royale? For certain many will come to mind the famous movie "Casino Royale" from the Saga of James Bond.
But the article will focus on a different type of gambling club. It also provided services in the field of gambling but did not have an exact address. Probably, you know we're going to be talking about a floating casino. The main character of the article will be the famous ship Casino Royale, plying along the coast of Florida.
Casino Royale Ship in the Past
The ship was built in Florida in 1978. It's a three-decker vessel of more than fifty meters long. Its displacement is one thousand three hundred tons.
Casino Royale was originally intended to take clients into international waters outside the laws of the United States governing gambling. You must move away from the shore for at least three nautical miles. Outside American jurisdiction, passengers could safely indulge in gambling entertainment.
Three decks of Casino Royale housed slot machines of different types, as well as several dozen tables for roulette and card games. The casino occupied more than five hundred and fifty square meters. The upper level was reserved for the observation deck and recreation area.
In the early 2000s, Casino Royale plied The Gulf of Mexico.
Its owners regularly broke the law by allowing customers to play until the ship departs three nautical miles from the shore.
As a result, they arrested him, took away his license, and put him on trial.
In the following years, the ship changed owners several times. As a rule, they renamed it, trying to lure new clients. It had the following names:
- Diamond Royale,
- The Escapade
- Royale, and other names.
Tellingly, all the owners somehow violated the law, as the police quickly learned. That's why Casino Royale has often gone from hand to hand.
Casino Royale Ship Accidents
In 2014, it was put on a sandbank. Passengers were forced to spend hours on board waiting for help. The coast guard had to save them. They tried to tow the ship to shore, but the cables snapped. Because of the low tide, the ship is firmly stuck in the sand and could not move from the place.
The only way to get on board was by helicopter. So as no one from the passengers or crew of Casino Royale required urgent aid, the evacuation was postponed until morning.
With the onset of daylight, people left the ship. The reduced load and the raised water level made it possible to tug the vessel to the port.
The captain was suspended until the investigation, but he was later found not guilty of the incident.
Later it turned out that all night customers played cards and on slot machines, though the ship was only two miles from the shore. But considering the situation, the authorities did not initiate a case of violation of gambling legislation. Soon the story was hushed up, and Casino Royale continued to work.
A year later, the ship ran aground again. This time the captain didn't rush to call the coast guard. The team members assured that they were only a little caught at the bottom of the shoal and did not stop for a second. Passengers said that the ship was motionless for two hours.
After that, the coast guard took away the Casino Royale inspection certificate. This meant that the ship had no right to put to sea. Since then, it has been rusting in port, moored.
The owners tried to sell Casino Royale for four million dollars, but no one wanted to buy it.
The validity of the gambling license, which regulated the activities of the Casino Royale, expired in 2015.
The only time the ship weighed anchor was in 2016. Authorities forced the vessel's owners to move it due to the threats that carried approaching hurricane Matthew. Then it was transported from South Carolina to Georgia.
Casino Royale Now
The current owners of Casino Royale do not lose heart and periodically make official statements, claiming that they will repair the ship and re-send it on cruises.
No one is engaged in the ship. It stays in the port. Its only visitors are urban photographers and fans of abandoned buildings. They sneak aboard to take pictures in the abandoned rooms with gaming tables and other casino equipment covered with dust. In the halls, you can even find chips scattered around the floor.
Given the current trends in gambling in the USA, restoring the work of Casino Royale in the former format hardly makes sense. Land-based casinos operate in most states, so the demand for floating gambling houses is not as high as before.
What would you do with Casino Royale if it became your property?