<ARTICLE> 5
<CIK> 0001066974
<NAME> EMPRESS ENTERTAINMENT
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                                                                          
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS               3-MOS               9-MOS               9-MOS               12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                      DEC-31-1998         DEC-31-1997         DEC-31-1998         DEC-31-1997          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                         JUL-01-1998         JUL-01-1997         JAN-01-1998         JAN-01-1997          JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                           SEP-30-1998         SEP-30-1997         SEP-30-1998         SEP-30-1997          DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                      40,769              57,243              40,769              57,243               73,257
<SECURITIES>                                     0              26,259                   0              26,259               10,010
<RECEIVABLES>                                5,204               3,826               5,204               3,826                5,551
<ALLOWANCES>                                 2,579               1,950               2,579               1,950                1,762
<INVENTORY>                                    690               1,372                 690               1,372                1,006
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                           207,573              89,551             207,573              89,551               90,449
<PP&E>                                     252,408             223,293             252,408             223,293              230,297
<DEPRECIATION>                              57,814              40,274              57,814              40,274               44,386
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             431,749             288,050             431,749             288,050              291,542
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                       72,433              42,199              72,433              42,199               45,683
<BONDS>                                    300,000             150,000             300,000             150,000              150,000
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<PREFERRED>                                      0                   0                   0                   0                    0
<COMMON>                                    11,653              11,500              11,653              11,500               11,500
<OTHER-SE>                                  47,663              40,351              47,663              40,351               44,359
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>               431,749             288,050             431,749             288,050              291,542
<SALES>                                          0                   0                   0                   0                    0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                           101,101              94,212             293,826             280,044              369,644
<CGS>                                            0                   0                   0                   0                    0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                               79,964              80,110             232,239             226,776              304,996
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                 0                   0                   0                   0                    0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                 0                   0                   0                   0                    0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                           7,949               5,391              18,840              15,964               21,154
<INCOME-PRETAX>                             15,435               9,566              47,110              39,706               46,818
<INCOME-TAX>                                   127                  36                 321                 191                  514
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<EPS-PRIMARY>                                    8                   8                  33                  34                   39
<EPS-DILUTED>                                    8                   8                  33                  34                   39