Sports & Entertainment: Lake Worth Casino

In 1913, a ferry charged five cents to take passengers across the lake, where a short walk took them to the beach. There, the first Lake Worth Casino was constructed just north of what is now Richard G. Kreusler Park on A1A in Palm Beach. Workers transported 1,700 feet of pine and 17,000 shingles across the lake to construct a two-story bathhouse; upstairs was used for dances, while downstairs were dressing rooms and a dining room. After the bathhouse burned down, in 1919 the pioneer Brelsford family deeded oceanfront property to the City of Lake Worth, which had no public beach before then. The same year, a wooden automobile bridge was added to reach the beach and casino, then one of the longest wooden toll-free bridges in the United States. The Lake Worth Casino and Baths opened in 1922, including slot machines until the mid-1930s, when the city outlawed gambling.

The Atwater Kent family added more land to the site in the 1940s for a total of 19 acres, almost 1,300 feet of beach; Palm Beach owns a ten-foot wide strip above the high-water line, and the property to the north and south. The casino was rebuilt after the 1947 hurricane; today’s complex includes shops and restaurants, a municipal pool, and a pier. Recently there has been considerable debate over whether to demolish the building or renovate it. However, it has been decided to re-build the structure. As of 2011, construction is underway.