After a 25-year presence in Tacoma, Washington, the Emerald Queen riverboat casino has been towed to Seattle for repurposing. The 300-foot Mississippi-style paddlewheel vessel served as a floating casino from 1997 to 2004 under the Puyallup tribe's operation.

The vessel was purchased by Spectral Crane and Marine, a Seattle-based equipment rental company. While its future remains uncertain, it may be converted into a barge, according to owner Boyer Halverson.

Originally built in 1995 by a Louisiana shipyard for $15 million, the Emerald Queen was a unique addition to Washington's gambling landscape, where floating casinos weren't legally required as they were in states like Louisiana and Missouri.

The riverboat ceased casino operations in 2004 following an agreement between the Puyallup tribe and the Port of Tacoma to allow commercial development of the waterway. In exchange, the tribe established the land-based Emerald Queen Casino in Fife, followed by a larger venue in Tacoma in 2020.

Despite being inactive for 19 years before its sale, the vessel was maintained in pristine condition. The Puyallup Tribal Council acknowledged the riverboat's significance in establishing their gaming operations, which have grown into two of the Northwest's premier casino destinations.

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