BREVARD COUNTY, Fla.,None — Casino cruise ships could be returning to Port Canaveral. Three gambling ships used to be based there and all three went under in the past few years.
When those ships went under, hundreds of people lost their jobs. About 300 people used to work for SunCruz, doing everything from tending to the ship to making reservations when the Surfside Princess was setting sail. It was the last to go under and the captain told WFTV he is hoping to see her set sail again in the next six months.
Every now and then, Captain Brad Wheeler drives by to check on his old ride. Wheeler was at the helm of the Surfside Princess for about three years. When Port Canaveral's last gaming ship stopped sailing just before Christmas, Wheeler and about 300 other employees were let go.
"Six months and it kind of hurts. I'd like to see this thing up and running, particularly out of this port," Captain Wheeler said.
Wheeler could get his wish. A group of investors is negotiating with Port Canaveral to bring one casino cruise ship back.
The terms of the deal are still being worked out and have not been revealed. It's unclear if the Surfside Princess or some other ship will be put to use again. Wheeler says the ship is in good shape; it had just undergone some renovation work before SunCruz pulled the plug on operations. The captain says there are a lot of people, including him, who would jump at the chance to work on it again.
"There are still people who have been seeking out employment since December and are still waiting to find something," Wheeler said.
Currently, the Surfside Princess is tied up in court while debtors lay claim to assets from defunct SunCruz Casinos.
Wheeler believes there is a market for at least one gaming ship out of Port Canaveral and he hopes to be at the helm. The Port may require whoever does come in and operate any new gaming ships to put down a hefty deposit of a quarter-million dollars.
That's about how much was owed to the port by SunCruz when the ship moored last December.
WFTV
