The Paris News from Paris, Texas • Page 6

6AThe Paris Tuesday, March 1995 Louisiana's first riverboat heading for Texas border COURTROOM ACTION O.J. Simpson defense attorney F. Angeles Police Del. Mark Furman during the Simpson double continues today. Constable's removal sought after failed certification tests AP Laserpholo Lee Bailey cross-examined Los trial Monday.

Testimony NEW ORLEANS (AP) The riverboat that opened the casino gambling era in Louisiana will be sailing away from the crowded New Orleans market for a potentially lucrative spot near the Texas border. The Louisiana State Police's Riverboat Gaming Enforcement Division on Monday approved the $52 million sale of the Star Casino from Showboat Inc. to Players International Inc. and its move from Lake Pontchartrain to Lake Charles. The deal gives Players both riverboats near the major metropolitan areas of Houston and Beaumont-Port Arthur, providing potentially hundreds of thousands of gamblers from Texas, which does not have casinos.

Players' current riverboat is Louisiana's top-grossing boat in terms of money collected from each gambler. The company has said it plans to build an $88 million complex to service both boats. There was no immediate word on when the second boat would open. Although the Star closed Jast week after losing a fight in New Orleans over dockside gambling, the boat already has sold its lakefront site to Bally Entertainment, which plans a $90 million hotel- riverboat complex. In New Orleans, the fight for gambling dollars is becoming tougher.

The Star's closure left three riverboats operating in the area. But four others are planned, along with the city's land casino. Harrah's Jazz Co. says a temporary casino will open in early May, followed by the world's largest casino in 1996. State police had delayed a ruling on Players' request following a hearing last month.

Since 45 companies applied for the 15 riverboats allowed in Louisiana, the state police licensing panel initially questioned whether one company should operate two boats. But Capt. Mark Oxley, a member of the licensing panel, said the law does not prohibit dijal ownership and Players had agreed to pour a significant amount of money into the state economy through its resort devef- opment. Oxley said he does not believe a monopoly will A third riverboat also is awaiting a decision on whether it can move to the Lake Charles area. Crown Casino lost a zoning fight to locate inline New Orleans-area town of SC Rose, has agreed to sell 50 pe'rj- cent of its boat to a partnership of Casino America and the Louisiana Downs race track.

TMt partnership owns the Isle of Cann riverboat at Bossier City. The Star, which becam'e Louisiana's first riverboat casino when it opened on Pontchartrain in October 1993, closed March 8 after the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that the Orleans Parish attorney could investigate why it was not cruising. SIN-ION (AP) San Patricio County commissioners have voted to seek the removal of an Aransas Pass constable because he fa-led three state certification tests. County Attorney David Aken said he will file a petition in district court seeking termination of Virgene Schwenke's employment 05 constable. Sctnvenke, who took the required courses for state certification but (ailed the state exam three times, told commissioners Monday night that he doesn't plan to retake the class.

"I'm 64 years old and I can't see going back I have a clean record," said Schwenke, who was elected in 1992. State law requires certain elected officials to become licensed within two years after they take office. Last summer. Schwenke was sent a letter reminding him of the law and telling him that he needed to get certified. Aken said.

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