Alabama Sinks Former Casino Boat to Create Reef

Key Highlights

A riverboat casino in Alabama waters will float no more after Wednesday. The Argosy IV, a 408-foot-long, four-level vessel, will become part of the Dr. Robert “Bob” Shipp Alabama Artificial Reef Zone.

Former Casino Boat Set For New Life Offshore

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which purchased the Argosy VI about a year ago, sank the ship Wednesday as part of the state’s ongoing reef expansion efforts. The Argosy VI operated on the Ohio River from 1997 to 2009 and was once the world’s largest riverboat casino, with more than 1,700 slot machines and capacity of up to 4,407 people.

Officials say the former Alabama casino site will add new reef structure in a part of the Gulf of Mexico where natural hard bottom and coral areas are limited. 

The sinking has been engineered without explosives. Crews cut holes above the water line so the vessel can fill with water and descend to the ocean floor in a controlled way.

Before the sinking, crews completed remediation work, stripping the former gambling rooms and slot machine areas down to steel to prepare the boat for placement 23 nautical miles south of Orange Beach.

Reef Project Designed To Support Marine Habitat

The sinking will help support the habitats for several fish species, including red snapper and smaller bait fish, giving new meaning to fish casino table games. Reef fish often rely on structure during parts of their life cycle, making artificial reefs important in areas with limited natural formations.

Fish are expected to begin appearing around the vessel within weeks. However, officials say it could take a couple of years for the site to develop into a highly productive reef as organisms such as bryozoa and corals settle on the structure and help build the base of the food web.

There are more than 400 reef sites in Alabama’s Artificial Reef Zone. This system includes more than 1,100 miles of installations, which is the largest stretch of artificial reefs in the US.

New Dive Site Planned Near Existing Reefs

While the ship’s sinking won’t create the best fish slot machines, it will contribute to a thriving destination for scuba divers. The Argosy VI will sit about two and a half miles from the New Venture reef and within seven miles of the Lulu, both of which are popular Alabama dive sites.

Adding the Argosy VI could help create a larger dive circuit off the Alabama coast.

The former floating casino made its final trip to Orange Beach before being sunk at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1.