The casino originally opened in 1967 as El Casino; became the Princess in '83 when Princess Hotels purchased the property. Princess changed the name to Bahamia and put the property on the market last year. On 1 May 2000, Driftwood purchased the property. The Princess rack was set in concrete in the rear of the property. Driftwood plans to sink 41-million dollars into the property keeping its former name Bahamia. The casino is only 20-thousand square feet.
I visited the Lucaya prodject last Thursday. Contrary to newspaper and magazine ads, there is no casino being built at this time. Guests are staying at the renovated Holiday Inn, and the new property is being built on the site where the Clarion Atlantik Beach was. The original Lucayan that Mr. Meyer Lansky built in '64 will not be torn down...and the lighthouse on the roof will continue to glow bright. The area where the proposed casino is to be built (it must be built per Bahamian Government) will be between the old Holiday Inn and the new 15-story building (a separate 30,000 sq-ft building). Prior to the Bahamian Government closing the hotel/casino a few years ago, two of Mr. Lansky's men who originally opened the house continued to work the floor.

JB