Belle of Baton Rouge

The casino boat is a 268-foot (82 m) four-deck sternwheeler built by Avondale Shipyard. It features 28,500 square feet (2,650 m²) of gaming space spread across three decks, offering 350 slot machines and 10 table games.

The hotel stands 10 stories tall and includes 288 rooms, a swimming pool, and a fitness center. As of 2020, it has been closed for renovations. Adjacent to the hotel is a five-story, 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m²) glass-enclosed atrium. This atrium houses a performance venue that has hosted concerts, mixed martial arts events, and nationally televised boxing matches. Additional amenities include meeting spaces, three restaurants, and two parking garages.

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The Belle atrium is situated in Catfish Town, a historic warehouse district that was transformed into a festival marketplace, opening in July 1984. The $30 million redevelopment project was led by Jerry Dodson and partially funded by a federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Despite initial hopes, Catfish Town struggled to attract tenants and shoppers. By November 1986, its developers decided to abandon the project. In December 1987, ownership was transferred to Allied Bank—the primary mortgage holder—through a deed in lieu of foreclosure. A marketing study later revealed that Baton Rouge lacked the population and tourism base necessary to sustain a festival marketplace. As a result, the property was repurposed into an office park.
In December 1989, the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) became a tenant, eventually occupying more than half of the complex’s leasable space. By April 1992, NAB Asset Corp., which had acquired the property through bank reorganizations, put Catfish Town up for sale. The RTC had announced plans to vacate the offices by January 1993, but NAB hoped the soon-to-be mostly vacant property would appeal to a new owner. Meanwhile, Louisiana had legalized riverboat casinos in July 1991, attracting interest from several gaming operators looking to invest in the area.