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International Guild of Hospitality & Restaurant Managers
Argosy Gaming Company (NYSE:AGY)
219 Piasa Street
Alton, IL 62002
Phone: (618) 474-7500
Fax: (618) 474-7636
Email:
invrel@argosycasinos.com
Employees (last reported count): 6,130
Argosy Gaming Company,
incorporated in 1993, is an owner and operator of six riverboat casinos located
in the central United States. The Company has riverboat gaming operations in St.
Louis, Kansas City, Baton Rouge and Sioux City. Argosy also has a riverboat
casino that serves the Cincinnati market from Lawrenceburg, Indiana. In the
first quarter of 2001, the Company purchased its minority partners' collective
42.5% interest in the Lawrenceburg casino, giving Argosy 100% ownership of the
Lawrenceburg Partnership. As a result, the Company now owns 100% of all its
casinos. On July 31, 2001, Argosy acquired 100% of the Empress Casino Joliet,
which serves the Chicago, Illinois, market.
Argosy Casino Lawrenceburg
The Lawrenceburg casino is located on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana,
approximately 15 miles west of Cincinnati, and is the closest casino to the
Cincinnati metropolitan area. The Lawrenceburg casino has 74,300 square feet of
gaming space on three levels with 2, 143 slot machines and 98 table games.
Argosy typically conducts nine two-hour cruises seven days a week, with an
additional cruise on Friday and Saturday evenings, for a total of 65 cruises per
week. Each cruise lasts two hours, including a 30-minute boarding time, and,
during peak periods, the Company charges admission fees. Indiana gaming law
permits dockside gaming only when inclement weather or water conditions prevent
a riverboat from cruising. At such times, the Lawrenceburg casino remains
dockside and operates on its normal schedule.
The complex also features a 300-room hotel, a 200,000-square-foot, land-based
entertainment pavilion and support facility offering a 350-seat buffet
restaurant, two specialty restaurants, an entertainment lounge and a 1,800-space
parking garage. Employee and overflow parking is provided at a 1,400-space
remote lot that is accessed by shuttle bus.
In the first quarter of 2001, Argosy acquired the minority interests in Indiana
Gaming Company, L.P., the Indiana partnership that owns and operates the
Lawrenceburg casino. Prior to this acquisition, the Company was the 57.5%
majority partner with Conseco Entertainment, L.L.C. and Centaur, Inc., owning
29% and 13.5% limited partnership interests, respectively. The Company completed
its purchase of Conseco's and Centaur's minority interests on February 22, 2001,
and March 8, 2001, respectively.
Alton Belle Casino
The Alton Belle Casino is located on the Mississippi River in Alton, Illinois,
approximately 20 miles northeast of downtown St. Louis. The Company commenced
operations in Alton, Illinois, in September 1991. Following the success of its
original Alton riverboat casino, Argosy built and opened a larger three-deck
contemporary style cruise liner. The cruise liner features 26,700 square feet of
gaming space, 1,013 slot machines and 28 table games.
The Alton property includes an approximately 60,000-square-foot entertainment
pavilion and features a 124-seat buffet, a fine dining restaurant and a 400-seat
main showroom. Parking is available at an adjacent city-owned surface parking
facility and at two sites in the city of Alton, to and from which Argosy
provides valet parking, as well as a free shuttle service.
Argosy Casino - Riverside
The Argosy Casino of Greater Kansas City is located on the Missouri River in
Riverside, Missouri, on a 55-acre site approximately five miles from downtown
Kansas City. The riverboat features approximately 36,000 square feet of gaming
space, 1,127 slot machines and 30 table games. The Kansas City casino began
operations in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 22, 1994.
The Kansas City casino is complemented by an 85,000-square-foot, land-based
entertainment facility featuring specialty and buffet restaurants, a
sports/entertainment lounge and 8,000 square feet of banquet/conference
facilities. A parking garage and surface parking areas with 2,000 spaces are
located adjacent to the pavilion.
Argosy Casino Baton Rouge
The Argosy Casino Baton Rouge is located on the Mississippi River in downtown
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The riverboat features approximately 28,000 square feet
of gaming space, 778 slot machines and 37 table games. The Baton Rouge casino
began operations in September 1994.
The riverboat casino is complemented by a 730-space parking garage, a 270-space
surface parking lot and by the Company's adjacent real estate development, known
as Catfish Town. Catfish Town is located next to Baton Rouge's convention
complex, the Centroplex, which has a 12,000-seat arena and a 30,000-square-foot
exhibition hall. Catfish Town includes a 50,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed
atrium, entertainment/sports lounge, buffet/coffee shop, conference facilities
and approximately 150,000 square feet of leasable retail space. Argosy owns and
operates the Catfish Town facility through its wholly owned subsidiary, Jazz
Enterprises, Inc., which the Company acquired in 1995 after Catfish Town's
developer experienced financial difficulties and put in doubt its ability to
satisfy certain development obligations to the City of Baton Rouge. During July
1999, Argosy began construction of a $22 million, 300-room hotel that opened in
February 2001. The hotel is managed by Sheraton Hotel and Resorts pursuant to a
management agreement until 2011.
Belle of Sioux City
The Belle of Sioux City is located on the Missouri River in downtown Sioux City,
Iowa. The riverboat features 12,500 square feet of gaming space, 419 slot
machines and 21 table games. The Belle of Sioux City typically conducts one
two-hour cruise each day for 100 days per year. At all other times, the Belle of
Sioux City remains dockside and operates with unlimited ingress and egress. The
casino is complemented by adjacent barge facilities featuring buffet dining
facilities, meeting space and administrative support offices.
In July 2000, Argosy purchased the 30% minority interest in the Belle of Sioux
City Casino from Sioux City Riverboat Corp., Inc. Prior to this acquisition, the
Company was a 70% general partner and received a management fee of 4.5%, based
upon the facility's adjusted gross gaming revenues.
Empress Casino Joliet
The Empress Casino Joliet is located in Joliet, Illinois, on a 300-acre site
approximately 40 miles southwest of Chicago. The casino consists of two adjacent
riverboat vessels providing a combined 36,066 square feet of gaming space with
1,113 slot machines and 32 table games. Both riverboats remain dockside and
offer customers unlimited ingress and egress. The complex features a
150,000-square-foot, Egyptian-themed pavilion with three restaurants, an
entertainment lounge and banquet/conference facilities. The pavilion also
contains an off-track pari-mutuel betting parlor. The complex also includes a
102-room hotel, surface parking areas with approximately 2, 350 spaces and an
80-space recreational vehicle park.
Disclaimer:
The data included within the Financial section is solely for information
and does not construe a recommendation and/or endorsement by IGHRM or its
members to invest funds with any of the companies listed. You are strongly
advised
to obtain professional advice with qualified individuals or corporations for any
investments of funds.
© 1999-2001 International Guild of Hospitality and Restaurant Managers
Inc. All rights reserved.
ighrm@hospitalityguild.com