A casino ship all the way from the US is docked at a ship-breaking yard in the Indian state of Gujarat in northwest India but the vessel, said to be in good shape, is now being proposed for use as an offshore casino in Goan style. The proposal has a long way to go before the Texas Treasure could operate off the coast of Gujarat. Clearance needs to be obtained from the state government, the Ministry of Tourism, the Customs Department, the Gujarat Maritime Board and the Indian Marine Organisation.

The Texas Treasure was built in 1970 and re-fitted in 2004. It has seven decks with three restaurants and is equipped with 500 slot machines, 200 blackjack tables, 8 roulettes and 36 poker tables. The gaming floor can accommodate 860 people and the ship can hold 2,300 passengers and crew. The ship was previously docked at Port Aransas on the Gulf Coast in Texas and the casino cruises were popular with locals and tourists. A legal dispute between the owner Discovery Dawn and operator Day Cruises Maritime, LLC led the vessel to be first dry-docked in the Bahamas and then sold to ship breaker Sameer Bhayani for $4 million.

Bhayani proposes to place the ship offshore between Bhoga and Dahej and is hoping that the Gujarat administration will support the move as a way of boosting tourism to the area. He is seeking partners for the project to operate the casino and has already received expressions of interest, including one from the owner of a casino in Goa. If he can persuade all the government departments that an offshore casino should be allowed, the Texas Treasure may yet become the Gujarat Gem. (E-11.03.08)

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