
Over 17 years ago there was a big elephant of a building
located on Franklin Avenue in Gretna, Louisiana. At one
time, it had been a thriving business when a car dealership
was located there but it had become rusted and abandoned. It
looked like it had no future.
Along came Charles Jones
and a group of investors, who had a vision of what the place
could look like. Charitable bingo was becoming more popular
but there was a need for a large clean, modern, and
comfortable commercial bingo hall located in the Greater New
Orleans area. Gretna Bingo Palace was founded on July 1,
1993.
Today Gretna Bingo Palace
is a vital growing attraction. Constant refurbishment and
upgrading keeps it updated. Recent acquisition of property
across the street resulted in additional parking. Besides
the bingo playing public, the benefactors of the creation of
this new hall were the charities, civic and non-profit
organizations it serves. They profit an average of 1.2
million dollars per year.
We offer
27
sessions weekly and all games are played as scheduled.
The organizations served by the hall are:
David Crockett Fire Company,
German American Cultural Center,
Westbank Rotary Club,
Gretna
Economic Development,
Gretna Historical Society,
Gretna Police Benevolent Society,
Gretna Community Transportation,
Italian American Cultural Association,
Westbank Optimist Club,
and the Carnival
organizations of Alla,
Cleopatra,
Choctaw
and Grela. Without the funds raised at
their charitable bingo, these organizations would not be
able to carry on with their public service.
Many, who visit for the
first time, are pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness and
friendliness they experience here. We give away $4500 per
session while most other halls give only away $3500.