ORANGE BEACH — Due south of Perdido Pass, 23 nautical miles out into the Gulf, the Argosy VI, a 408-foot, four-deck casino barge, sunk last week.

The intentional effort created one of the largest additions to Alabama's artificial reef system.

The former Indiana casino river boat was originally brought to Alabama by Orange Beach developer Larry Wireman, who owns Caribe Resort and Turquoise Place, with plans to transform it into a hotel and restaurant. After several roadblocks derailed those ideas, Wireman sold it to the state.

Now, officials with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Marine Resources Division, who oversaw the sinking of the Argosy and manage the state's artificial reef system, are hoping the $2.5 million GoMESA-funded project will help encourage marine life diversity for decades.

"We anticipate roughly 30 to 50 years expected life of providing quality habitat for different reef fishes," said Craig Newton, biologist with MRD. "It'll be an extremely diverse reef."

Newton said the site was strategically selected for its historically high visibility for scuba diving and to be close to two of the state's other large artificial reefs, its World War II Liberty ships the New Venture and the Lulu.

"With the Argosy being so close to the New Venture, dive operations can leave from Perdido Pass, make their way to the New Venture and within the same day easily transit over to the Argosy and have an exceptional day of diving," Newton said.

Kevin Anson, MRD director, told Outdoor Alabama columnist David Rainer the ship's reefing is "another effort in the goal of continuing to build Alabama's artificial reef zone, which encompasses 1,100 square miles with more than 12,000 reef structures," Rainer wrote.

Over the last nearly two years, the Argosy underwent environmental cleaning to remove any hazardous materials at a dock in Bayou La Batre, where it had been sitting since it was towed down from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, around 2019.

Everything had to be removed, Newton explained, adding that the process is rigorous but necessary.

"All the furnishings within the vessel, the carpet, the insulation, all the fluids, the hydraulic fluids and engine fluids and diesel fuel, and even duct work and elevator shafts," he said. "They all had to be essentially stripped down to bare metal."

With the goal being to sink the Argosy stern first, then having it settle on its keel, Orange Beach-based Walter Marine, a company that has deployed thousands of artificial reefs, installed plugs throughout the bottom of the vessel that, once manually pulled at the site, allowed controlled flooding. Vents cut throughout the ship let air escape at the right pace, which controlled the speed and angle of the Argosy's descent.

"Sinking vessels in a controlled manner, it takes a lot of engineering behind it," Newton said. "The contractors did a great job."

It took about an hour from the time the first plugs were pulled for the Argosy to disappear in the Gulf. Once the water breached the base of the barge, the three remaining stories descended underwater in about 20 minutes.

As he watched the vessel sink below the surface from his charter fishing boat The Outcast on Wednesday, Wireman, who was surrounded by family and friends, said he had mixed feelings.

"It's a little bit sad because I know it had so much potential," he said. "But I am glad it is going to serve a good purpose."