El Casino announces its arrival in Freeport — “Premiere Opening, December 17, 1966

El Casino in the heart of the developing Freeport tourist district. The distinctive domed casino complex can be seen near the centre of this aerial view.

El Casino was one of the great landmarks of early Freeport. With its exotic Moorish architecture, glamorous atmosphere and glittering roster of international entertainers, it became a symbol of the exciting new resort city that was emerging on Grand Bahama in the 1960s.

With its gleaming white dome, graceful arches and minaret-like towers, El Casino was designed to make an impression. And it did! Inside was an equally colourful world of gaming tables, rich carpeting, glittering lights and entertainment.

And there was much more to El Casino than the gaming floor. Under one roof visitors could dine at the Oasis, see a show in the Kasbah, enjoy El Morocco — or simply stop for something to eat at Café Aladdin.

But El Casino was about more than gambling. Its showroom became part of Freeport’s celebrated nightlife, with musicians, singers and elaborate shows helping to give the young city the glamorous, international atmosphere for which it became famous.

BEHIND THE GLAMOUR

The spectacular production shows were an important part of a night at El Casino. Behind them were Lou and Lois Seiler, two much-loved personalities in Freeport’s entertainment community. Lou produced the shows in the Kasbah Lounge, while Lois was responsible for much of the choreography. She also ran her own dance school in Freeport, training generations of young dancers.

The productions drew talent from much farther afield, too. Dancers who worked with the Seilers remember performers being brought in from Las Vegas to appear alongside Bahamian dancers trained by Lois.

L-R Jerry Jackson, Lou Seiler, Lois Seiler and Charles LaRoda. The Kasbah Lounge at El Casino. Jerry Jackson was the Director of the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana in Las Vegas

I was fortunate to know Lou and Lois personally. Lou, who passed away several years ago, was a colourful and much-loved Freeport personality.

THE APPLE ELLIOTT ORCHESTRA

Behind the singers, dancers and spectacular productions of the Kasbah Lounge was another essential part of the show — the resident orchestra.

In 1974, distinguished Bahamian pianist and bandleader Edwin “Apple” Elliott came to Freeport to work at the El Casino Show Lounge. Musicians associated with the orchestra included Ralph Munnings and bass and trumpet player Louie Ferguson, both of whom would remain associated with the casino band for nearly two decades.

The orchestra provided the musical backbone for the elaborate productions staged at El Casino, accompanying the singers, dancers and visiting performers who helped make Freeport nightlife famous.

Apple Elliott remained an important figure in Grand Bahama’s musical life long after the casino years. In 2016, nine years after his death, he was honoured as one of The Bahamas’ Cultural Legends.

The music goes on — members of the Apple Elliott Orchestra performing in later years, long after their El Casino days.

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

El Casino’s entertainment was about much more than the resident orchestra. Over the years, the Kasbah Lounge welcomed visiting stars as well as an accomplished company of singers, dancers and entertainers who made Freeport nightlife something very special.

Bahamian performers were an important part of that story. Among those associated with El Casino were singers Johnny Kemp and Jay Mitchell, alongside the dancers and performers who appeared in the elaborate productions staged in the Kasbah Lounge.

Johnny Kemp – from the Regency stage to The Grammys

A young Johnny Kemp, in the green jacket, as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! at Freeport’s Regency Theatre, 1974.

It is tempting to wonder whether this was one of the places where the young singer first discovered his love of performing. We do know that Kemp was performing in The Bahamas from an early age, and before long he would become part of Freeport’s thriving entertainment scene, notably at El Casino.

His journey eventually took him from The Bahamas to New York and international success. In 1988, “Just Got Paid” became his signature hit and earned Kemp and co-writer Gene Griffin a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song.

Watch Johnny Kemp perform his Grammy-nominated hit “Just Got Paid.”

Johnny Kemp died in Jamaica in 2015 at the age of 55. His music — particularly the infectious “Just Got Paid” — remains part of his remarkable legacy.

Jay Mitchell – A Freeport legend!

Another Bahamian performer closely associated with El Casino was Jay Mitchell. Born Rupert Jay Mitchell, he grew up between Grand Bahama and Nassau and became known for an energetic style that blended soul with the distinctly Bahamian sound of Junka.

Mitchell performed with Hot Ice, and his long career kept him connected with Bahamian entertainment well beyond the casino years. Contemporary memories describe Jay Mitchell and Hot Ice performing a mixture of R&B, soca and calypso — music made for dancing. 

For Freeport Friends, however, perhaps no recording could be more appropriate than one bearing the name of the city itself: “Freeport Town.”

Jay Mitchell and Hot Ice advertised at the Sultan’s Tent, Princess Tower — another glimpse of Freeport’s lively entertainment scene.

More Memories of El Casino

For those who knew Freeport in those years, El Casino was more than a building. It was part of an extraordinary era when the young city seemed to be bursting with possibility — and when a night out in Freeport really could be quite a night.