State law requires the riverboats to cruise; if they were to remain dockside they would compete with the land-based casino, the land-based casino's monopoly status would be challenged, and the state could lose its $100-million minimum annual tax. The law does have its loop-holes, however; the casino boat may remain dockside if, in the boat captain's opinion, unsafe conditions exist. The law has been sporadically enforced, and riverboats remain dockside more often than not.

Failed negotiations between the Dock Board, Bally's Belle of Orleans Casino, and Hemmeter to operate three riverboats at a shared terminal at the Julia Street Wharf resulted in moving the Hemmeter-Capital Gaming two-boat enterprise and the terminal up-river.

River City was located on the up-river side of the Convention Center. The entrance featured a brick wall with planting and the River City sign, not unlike what one would find at an upscale country club.

The River City Terminal Building, designed by Lyons & Hudson Architects, appears to be just another metal warehouse building blending in with the heavy industrial neighborhood. The exterior does not hint of what is to be found inside.

Entering River City, one was confronted by a bayou-swamp theme complete with projected clouds and fiber optic stars in the sky-ceiling above and recordings of frogs and crickets in the fiberglass trees and bushes. Ahead was a plantation house. The second floor windows of the plantation house had back-lit cut-outs of party goers silhouetted against the window draperies. One had to walk through the plantation house to get to the dock where the boats were moored.

River City was short lived, operating for a mere nine weeks before shutting its doors and declaring bankruptcy. The building was substantially complete, a prelude for things to come at the Rivergate site.