The Riverview

Deerfield’s Gambling Past

In 1929, William Kester built a packing house for local farmers and fishermen on the Intracoastal in Deerfield. In 1938, he sold it to William Stewart, a casino operator from Wheeling, West Virginia. “Bill” quickly converted the packing house into a bar, restaurant and gambling casino. The emphasis was on gambling.

Originally named The River View Club it operated as a private club casino until 1947. Its location between The Boca Raton Hotel and the Hillsboro Club made it a perfect spot for wealthy visitors to enjoy games of chance.

Eventually it was converted into the Riverview Restaurant and was run by the nephew of the original owner, also named Bill Stewart. It was a very popular spot known for great seafood and slow cooked prime rib. It closed suddenly in 1995 and remained vacant for many years. The City of Deerfield Beach bought the land and it will be part of the new Sullivan Park project starting late in 2015.