With the advent of casino gambling in Detroit, came a speculative real estate shell game as various sections of Detroit were proposed as sites for the three casinos. When Mayor Dennis Archer settled on a large section of Rivertown as his preferred location for all three casinos and a process of land acquisition began with the city acquiring many of the pieces it needed. Suddenly, citing high costs of acquisition, the Rivertown site idea was abandoned.

The decision came to late to save Rivertown. Too many businesses had sold out or shut down in anticipation of land clearing for the huge casinos and the process could not be reversed.  In the end, Rivertown was destroyed and no casinos were built there. Today the ruins of Rivertown's famous nightclubs are bleak reminders of a once budding gritty entertainment district.