January 8, 2008 - Major players in the $32 billion U.S. gaming industry count on the experience and expertise of Industrial Power Systems, Inc. (IPS) of Jacksonville, Florida, to design and build the electrical power control systems that keep the world’s largest floating casinos in continuous 24/7 operation.
Last year IPS completed commissioning of Boyd Gaming Corporation’s Blue Chip 2, located in Michigan City, Indiana. A $170 million expansion project, the Blue Chip 2 is currently the world’s largest tethered floating casino, at 65,000 square feet. Because of its flawless performance on the casino expansion, IPS was also selected to provide an additional set of outdoor, 15 kV switchgear for a brand new public area expansion, scheduled for completion in mid 2008.
Now IPS is preparing for initial commissioning and powering up of the main electrical power control systems the company designed and built for the $485 million expansion of Harrah’s all new Horseshoe Casino Hammond located at Chicagoland (Hammond, Indiana) along Lake Michigan.
Overall project construction, begun in 2006, is well underway to create a remarkable new gaming and entertainment facility. The total size of the new Horseshoe Casino Hammond will be 350,000 square feet – the size of seven football fields, and more than five times the size of the current largest floating casino, the Blue Chip 2. The project is scheduled for completion this summer.
The new Horseshoe Casino Hammond, says Harrah’s, will be “a two-level entertainment vessel featuring 108,000 square feet of gambling space on the first level – more than double the size of the Horseshoe's existing casino. The second level of the vessel will include a 2,500-seat multi-purpose theater and a spectacular buffet that will carry on the Horseshoe's reputation of offering exceptional, abundant dining experiences.”
The new casino will include “spectacular amenities, an incredible entertainment venue, and more luxury than ever before. It’s truly a remarkable expansion boasting a $500 million price tag.” Industrial Power Systems’ design and manufacturing expertise is at work to provide the electrical control system to keep this luxurious tethered floating casino in continuous action.
The IPS-designed low voltage main casino electrical service and generator switchboard provides the primary control, instrumentation, and protection of three Caterpillar 1825kW prime and 2000 kW standby diesel engine generator sets supplied by Patten Energy Systems. The switchboard also provides for connection and protection of four 3000 KVA connected utility distribution transformers. The switchboard has a common generator, transformer and distribution bus. This provides utility power or generator power to the casino, and generator power to the propulsion motor loads through circuit breakers.
Naval Architects on the project are Lay Pitman Associates, also of Jacksonville, FL. The project electrical contractor is Bellsom Electric, Inc., of Hammond, Indiana, with EMCOR Hyre Electric the jobsite electrical contractor.
IPS’s Marine Division has been designing and building electrical power control systems for the marine industry for over 25 years. Installations include integrated systems for work boats, research vessels, military vessels, commercial vessels, luxury yachts, sport fishing boats, and gaming vessels such as these projects.
Tethered Floating Casinos
In a conventional marine installation, the ship service generators and switchgear alone supply the electrical power for all on-board facilities and equipment. But the electric power systems of tethered floating casinos are quite unique. What sets them apart from the typical marine application is that while they are moored, they are actually connected as marine-industrial hybrids requiring integrated marine and utility-grade controls. In this arrangement, ship service power is connected in parallel with shore power, as long as the vessel is moored, so that several different ship service/shore power modes of operation are available to the operators.
Gaming operations conducted on floating casinos can be lost from service for many reasons including casualty, forces of nature, mechanical failure or extended or extraordinary maintenance. It is therefore incumbent on the owners to equip their vessels with the most trusted and reliable electrical power systems available that comply with United States Coast Guard requirements as to boat design, on-board facilities, equipment, personnel and safety.
Such specialized integrated marine-utility applications require a great deal of knowledge and experience and Industrial Power Systems has built a solid reputation designing quality control switchboards for both marine and industrial applications. The Blue Chip 2, Harrah’s Horseshoe Hammond, and the Argosy Casino are prestigious additions to IPS’s impressive roster of riverboat and tethered floating casino applications.
New Business
In addition to these successful installations, other current and recent IPS marine projects include supplying switchgear and electrical control systems for:
- Argosy Casino, Lawrenceburg, Indiana – Contract has been signed. Delivery is due mid 2008. This is also a floating tethered casino on the Ohio River near Cincinnati. Design is also by Lay Pitman Associates. General Contractor is Messer Harmon, LLC. Electrical Contractor is Mayer Electric.
- Signet Maritime Corporation 8000 HP tugs built by J.M. Martinac Shipbuilding Corporation
- Moran Towing tugs built by Washburn & Doughty Associates, Inc.
- New York Water taxis built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding
- OSG 8000 HP tugs built by Bender Shipbuilding and Repair Co., Inc.
- OSG 12000 HP tugs built by Bender Shipbuilding and Repair Co., Inc.
- OSG 342k bbl, 655' barges built by Bender-Tampa Bay Shipyard
- US Shipping tugs built by Eastern Shipbuilding Group
- McAllister tugs built by Eastern Shipbuilding Group
About IPS
Industrial Power Systems, Inc. (IPS) is a Florida corporation established in 1981 by Bill Young, President and Chief Technology Officer of the company. IPS designs and builds quality electrical controls, switchgear and automation systems for marine and industrial applications. Specialists in custom design and fabrication, IPS offers both bid-to-specification, and design-and-build products. The company’s manufacturing, engineering, sales, administrative and corporate offices are located in a 20,000 square foot facility in Jacksonville, Florida.
IPS builds to meet standards of all major USA regulatory bodies and associations including EGSA, IEEE, NEMA, NEC, UL, and ANSI for land applications, and ABS, USCG and IEEE for marine applications. IPS also builds to meet international standards including CSA, IEC and other regulatory and classification societies including Lloyd’s and Det Norske Veritas for marine applications.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Glenn Beaupre, Manager – Marine Division, Industrial Power Systems, Inc., 3010 Powers Avenue, Bldg 16, Jacksonville FL 32207, (904) 731-8844.
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