<ARTICLE> 5
<CIK>        0001066974 
<NAME>       Empress Entertainment, Inc. 
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>               6-MOS              6-MOS             
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                 DEC-31-1998        DEC-31-1997 
<PERIOD-START>                    JAN-01-1998        JAN-01-1997 
<PERIOD-END>                      JUN-30-1998        JUN-30-1997  
<CASH>                                 22,016             39,137 
<SECURITIES>                                0             30,250 
<RECEIVABLES>                           4,614              4,035 
<ALLOWANCES>                            2,098              1,868 
<INVENTORY>                               802              1,522 
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                      194,100             77,621 
<PP&E>                                246,863            221,340 
<DEPRECIATION>                         52,923             36,423 
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                        408,995            278,445 
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                  47,466             75,493 
<BONDS>                               300,000            150,000 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                       0                  0 
<PREFERRED>                                 0                  0 
<COMMON>                               11,500             11,500 
<OTHER-SE>                             50,029             41,452 
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>          408,995            278,445 
<SALES>                                     0                  0 
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                      192,707            185,846 
<CGS>                                       0                  0 
<TOTAL-COSTS>                         152,256            146,681 
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                            0                  0 
<LOSS-PROVISION>                            0                  0 
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                     10,885             10,573 
<INCOME-PRETAX>                        31,547             30,141 
<INCOME-TAX>                              194                156 
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                         0                  0  
<DISCONTINUED>                              0                  0 
<EXTRAORDINARY>                             0                  0 
<CHANGES>                                   0                  0 
<NET-INCOME>                           31,354             29,985 
<EPS-PRIMARY>                              27                 25 
<EPS-DILUTED>                              27                 25