Did You Catch Evansville’s Old Casino Aztar Riverboat on Dick Clark’s New Years Rockin’ Eve?
If you've lived in Evansville for any amount of time, you may remember when our casino was on the water. I grew up with the riverfront in downtown Evansville looking a tad different, because there was the Casino Aztar riverboat floating on it. Then the casino took to land, where it's now Bally's in downtown Evansville.
Since being a casino on the Ohio River, the old Casino Aztar riverboat has a new life in the city of New Orleans on the Mississippi River, as the Riverboat Louis Armstrong. Being the "City of Jazz," a riverboat celebrating Satchmo seems very appropriate. If you happened to watch Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve, you would have seen Evansville's old friend!
I didn't even realize it was the old Casina Aztar Riverboat until I saw a tweet from @JZachEvans on Twitter so all credit has to go to him for his eagle eye! Sure enough, there in New Orleans ringing in 2022 was Billy Porter aboard the Riverboat Louis Armstrong on Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve!
I think it's really cool that the riverboat that once sat along the downtown Evansville landscape, is now in New Orleans. The outside of the boat still looks about the same, but it's incredible to see how much they've changed it on the inside.
You can see more photos from the inside of the Riverboat Louis Armstrong, on their website, by clicking here. Whenever I finally get the chance to get down to New Orleans, you can bet I'll be making a stop to check out the Riverboat Louis Armstrong!
In a City full of unique and spacious venues, The Riverboat Louis Armstrong is one of the newest and most unique - and one of the biggest - with a maximum of 2,500 allowed. Designed as a gaming boat that had been part of the Evansville, IN landscape for 20 years, The RLA is now a part of the New Orleans landscape and culture on the Mighty Mississippi. When not engaged in events, meetings or weddings, she is docked alongside Mardi Gras World and River City Venues. When chartering the boat, and for special events and concerts, she will be docked at Spanish Plaza, or can remain at the MGW dock when used in conjunction with the venue. The Riverboat does not cruise the Mississippi River, but remains dockside. The boat can cruise under special circumstances.
Check out footage from the 2019 grand opening of the Riverboat Louis Armstrong.