Two riverboat applicants may merge

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 | 10:51 a.m.

A friend of Gov. Mike Foster, Bollinger is part of Louisiana Horizons, which wants the 15th and final riverboat license for the Amelia area.

Isle of Capri is one of the other three applicants for that license.

The board was to be asked at its Tuesday meeting to allow the merger, which will make Isle of Capri a minority equity partner that would handle the actual operations of the boat.

If the board goes along, the Isle will withdraw its pending application for the 15th license, which should decrease the state administrative and investigative burden, said the written request by Louisiana Horizons.

All applicants go through exhaustive checks by state police, the revenue department and board staffers.

The board was meeting at a time when the terms of three members have expired: Ecotry Fuller, Sherian Cadoria and Robert Flemming.

Fuller was recently acquitted on charges involving allegations that he indirectly provided gambling board information to former Gov. Edwin Edwards.

Fuller said he would not actively pursue another term.

Gov. Mike Foster has not made up his mind what to do about the expired terms.

Until Foster acts, the three can continue and apparently will participate in the decision on Louisiana Horizons.

The company also plans to take on a new individual partner, Gary N. Solomon of New Orleans, said the company's attorneys, Gus Bourgeois and Ira Rosenzweig of New Orleans, in their filing with the board.

The ownership now is Bolinger, Robert Tucker Jr. and James Barkate, all Louisiana business executives.

Isle of Capri operates boats in Bossier City and Lake Charles and wanted the 15th license to own a boat in the Chalmette area.

Other applicants include: