13th Missouri casino to open on Oct. 30

JIM SALTER, Associated Press

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri's 13th casino is now scheduled to open by the end of the month.

Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. said Monday it will open its new $135 million Isle Casino Cape Girardeau on Oct. 30 in the southeast Missouri town, pending final approval from the Missouri Gaming Commission. The casino includes five restaurants, a 750-seat multipurpose room, 1,000 slot machines and 28 table games.

Mayor Harry Rediger said the casino has created 450 new jobs and will bring an estimated 1 million visitors each year to downtown Cape Girardeau.

"It is a very big economic boost to our city," Rediger said. "We're really excited about it."

A 2008 ballot measure approved by voters limits Missouri to 13 casino licenses. One became available in 2010 when the President Casino closed in St. Louis. The Missouri Gaming Commission chose the Cape Girardeau site over proposals in St. Louis and suburban Kansas City.

St. Louis-based Isle of Capri operates 15 other casinos around the country.

"This will be an exciting moment for our company and for the Cape Girardeau community," Isle of Capri President and Chief Executive Officer Virginia McDowell said.

The Gaming Commission is scheduled to meet in Cape Girardeau on Oct. 24 and could approve the opening then. Gaming commission staff would then test casino workers in a mock operation before the casino would be allowed to open.

Some people in Cape Girardeau have opposed the casino, but Rediger said he has spoken with mayors in casino towns "from Iowa to Louisiana" who told him that fears about crime when casinos first came to the Midwest in the 1990s have proven unfounded.

"If anything, it has replaced a blighted area within our community," Rediger said.

He acknowledged that gambling addictions may rise, citing statistics showing a small percentage of patrons will become problem gamblers.

"We've got entities and agencies in town that will help with programs to address that," Rediger said.

More like this story

RobHunterJohnson 7 months, 1 week ago

Jefferson City should take another look at this option to get their CccccONVENTION CENTER "it is a very big economic boost for our city" Mayor Harry Reidger says, (CAPE GIrardeau) and 450 new jobs! Think of all the revenue from folks coming from the big city to the Lake! If Jefferson City wants a convention center that works, you need something to draw them here! We need to tap the GREAT source of REVENUE that roars through our town, only to say thats our State Capital, and we will be at the lake in 45 minutes. I have not been in a CASINO in Missouri yet, still waiting for our BOAT! Rob

JCLifer 7 months, 1 week ago

Truer words have not been spoken.
Thanks Rob. Hope someone listens.

PatsyDecline 7 months, 1 week ago

Don't hold your breath. With the status quo of JC firmly in control I doubt you will see a casino in JC within your lifetime.

It would raise the competition bar for the local elites who have gotten wealthy keeping that bar low.... It would lead to better services at better prices....a win for the consumer...That can't be allowed to happen here in JCMO.

Besides..... SATAN!!!! SATAN!!!! SATAN!!!!

LOL

RobHunterJohnson 7 months, 1 week ago

I wonder how many of the fine folks that signed the 2 page small print add in the News Tribune in 93, or 94 have changed their minds? Cape Giradeau is catering to a local, we have a constant roar of traffic through Jefferson City on its way to the Lake? It used to be summer, and now it is all year LONG! Laws can be changed, it would pay to find out how to change it instead of all the quibbling over a convention center they have been going to build at least since I moved back here in 1977. Rob

JCLifer 7 months, 1 week ago

Patsy is right. The local elites and the Chamber do not want the competition for jobs that a casino would bring. Just think: If a little competition came to this town, the locals might have to pay a little more than minimum wage to their employees. They might have to provide some benefits. Heaven forbid- they might have to treat their employees better too.

The local chamber, elites, and Leaders like things exactly the way they are. Very low wages, dumb, unempowered workforce, and little competition for jobs.

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

I would love to have a casino in Jeff or more like on the outskirts. Think of how it would boost the economy. We need fun stuff to do. Break open the box and lets have some good bars that aren't sleeze holes so people that enjoy the night life can actually go to a bar that isn't loaded with thugs and drugs and maybe an old fashioned drivein movie and a safe place for the teens to go that would offer dancing and food and plain old fun for them. And the chippendales. A wax museum and Ripley's and a park with rides and games and okay!!!! It's a dream but I feel it's a good dream.

Sequoia 7 months, 1 week ago

Eileen, when was the last time you went out in J.C., and what bars did you go to? There are a number of places in J.C. that aren't loaded with "thugs and drugs."

I've been around J.C. for a while. Your statement about the bars probably applied ten years ago. Not so much today. There are a lot of clean, classy bars to go to in Jeff these days.

TickledPink 7 months, 1 week ago

Which ones do you think are best? I go to The Mission if they have a decent LOCAL band, Paddy Malone's for dinner on occasion but I also go to Prison Brews and The Spot - their musicians are always local and the drinks aren't expensive. Guess you can tell I base my bar decision on the music. :)

JCLifer 7 months, 1 week ago

ECCO Lounge has great food and is a decent place. Nothing fancy, but usually clean.

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

I don't go to bars. But I have some friends coming to visit me from New Mexico and they enjoy an evening out at a bar so would appreciate a couple of names and addresses of bars I could take them to. The only thing I know of about the bars are what I've read on these posts. No one mentioned the good places.

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

Prison brews and the Spot sounds good. Now that I know this I'll be going out once in a while for some enjoyment. Is it a mixture of ages or is it more for the younger crowd? I'm looking for an old fogie place if there o are any because we aren't in our 30s any more.

jeffcitygirl 7 months, 1 week ago

Eileen, I think you would be better off avoiding the Spot - young crowd, kinda sketchy - loud music, biker bar atmosphere. The Mission has an older more sophisiticated clientle.

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

Thank you jeffcitygirl. I'm not exactly sophisticated though. More of a country girl but we'll go there . .

Sequoia 7 months, 1 week ago

No, the Spot is probably not what Eileen is looking for. The new place downtown, Grand Cafe, and Cork are both good spots to get a glass (or bottle) of wine. JPhenny's is pretty typical sports bar, but clean and neat with a good selection of beer. When I'm feeling like a 1960s gangster I like to go have a whiskey on the rocks at the Saphire's on top of the Doubletree Hotel. Paddy Malone's is a great pub.

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

I had no idea there are so many bars in town. I have a list of what I'm seeing from everyone minus the Spot so it looks like we'll have plenty of places to go. Thank you every one. I'll keep checking for any more that might be mentioned.

TickledPink 7 months, 1 week ago

The crowd at the Spot is a bit younger so it does sound like The Mission or Prison Brews would be more in line with what you're looking for and the food at Prison Brews is fine.

cinkisses 7 months, 1 week ago

I really enjoy Paddy's food and you can either sit out on the patio (yes there's smokers but really its still quite nice out there) or the back more of a dining room feel or the bar area.

Its sad that the good places get less publicity than the sketchier places. I'm not sure if the Tiki Bar (?) is still uptown but I heard it had decent food and a nice atmosphere (I may be wrong no first hand knowledge here)

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

It's amazing the things I find out on these posts. I agree cinkisses about how the good places don't get talked about because I thought Jeff City only had bad bars. The only places I usually go to are the stores to shop and I never pay attention to anything else. Now I have all kinds of good places to go to and I want to thank everyone again.

TickledPink 7 months, 1 week ago

Unfortunately, Missouri only allowed 13 licenses for casinos and this is the final one so for JC to get a casino, one of the existing ones will have to shut down.

RobHunterJohnson 7 months, 1 week ago

13 is just a number, would it not be nice to get gambling before the Lake of the Ozarks? They can put it back to a ballot, or the legislater could maybe do something positive? For once! How about a Nuclear plant? They are working very hard to get at least one, if not 2 in southern Iowa? Why can we not get some good paying jobs here in Central Missouri? There are 2300 construction workers working on the Nuclear plant in SC. It is a shame that the only thing I think of that are legislater has done is put up a bust of Rush Limbaugh? Rob

Sequoia 7 months, 1 week ago

But those nuclear plant construction jobs are temporary. Once a nuclear plant is built, it does not take very many workers to operate. It's all computer. The only thing we'll get out of a nuke plant is much higher electric rates.

The utility companies, and my utility bill, is not a jobs program. Ameren wants a nuke plant because it will jack up their shareholder revenue. They'll sell it with a line about jobs, but in this day and age you have to be very careful not to get suckered.

JCLifer 7 months, 1 week ago

Do you have any idea how many employers AmerenUE Callaway has?
Do you have any idea what the average salary of AmerenUE Callaway is?

Workforce: More than 1,000 Ameren Missouri employees and contractors work at the facility with a total annual payroll of approximately $100 million.

Economic Benefit: On average, the facility accounts for about $10 million of Ameren Missouri’s annual property taxes paid to Callaway County, with about $7 million of that amount going to local schools. In addition, assessed values based on Ameren Missouri’s investment in the energy center typically result in an additional $23.5 million in taxes shared by the remaining 66 Missouri counties where the company has facilities.

AmerenUE's rates for electricity are some of the cheapest in the country.

A little knowledge can help you.

Sequoia 7 months, 1 week ago

Great. But my utility bill is not a stimulus program. The utility can help the economy by doing its job... providing reliable energy as cheaply as possible.

Here's a little knowledge for you: A nuke plant is the most expensive option the company has to meet its energy demand over the next 20 years.

There are plenty of jobs and taxes associated with cheaper energy sources. And it ain't like the old plant is going to disappear if they don't build a new one.

A nuke plan is good for Ameren shareholders. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE HYPING IT! It is not good for Ameren ratepayers. Don't be a sucker.

centerguy56 7 months, 1 week ago

Seq: Are you familiar with the new plan for Nuclear at Callaway?

RobHunterJohnson 7 months, 1 week ago

JC Lifer, you are right on!The only reason you have some of the lowest costs in killowatts is because of Callaway Nuclear, we need to be ahead of the curve on this one folks, they are wanting to build and sell electric out of Iowa, open up your eyes! Rob

PatsyDecline 7 months, 1 week ago

Jefferson City blew this golden opportunity not just once....but TWICE!

Make sure you thank folks like the Learfields and the preachers, who led the local bible thumpers in their successful crusade to save us all from the evil of economic activity and living wage jobs.

I'm so happy to be leaving this backwater town soon!

Littleinvestor 7 months, 1 week ago

I've been to the one at Boonville twice. Found it depressing both times. The patrons seemed to be mostly old people, smoking like chimneys, playing the one-armed bandits. Probably gambling away their life savings or SS checks, hoping to get rich. More people have to lose than win in order for gambling to make money. My opinion is that using gambling to support government or a community is immoral. Other people believe otherwise. I think a better way to support government and the community is to produce something of value and sell it, with an appropriate amount of taxation. We can all argue about what level of taxation and even government is appropriate, but no taxes at all is just a silly dream.

spelchek 7 months, 1 week ago

A JC casino would be just what our politicians need, easier access to blow the pay we give them. Not to mention a casino still offers nothing for our youth. I suppose it could be something to look forward to growing up...just like our Blvd. Sigh..... If I had the money I'd build the best aquarium in MO right here. Bring families in from everywhere not to mention school bus loads of kids on field trips. A pipe dream.

RobHunterJohnson 7 months, 1 week ago

Kids on school bus don't spend money! When they wanted to shut down party cove at the lake a few years back, That water patrol guy said folks these are $200,000 BOATS, THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT KIDS! These people pass through our town every weekend? If the city wants a convention center here is the answer, otherwise you will end up with a vacant space hosting gunshows and what nots? If there is nothing to do they will have a hard time filling a convention center. A private developer would have been on it long ago, if we had the right atmosphere. Eilleen, there is a good drive in on Mo 21 south of Ellington, Mo, open in the late spring to early fall! Rob

eileen10 7 months, 1 week ago

Oh my gosh!! I didn't think there were any drive ins left!! Thank you!!

spelchek 7 months, 1 week ago

Bus load of kids plus entrance fee = bunch of money and an education to boot. I'm not anti casino at all, I just think it's a lazy approach to raise revenues.

asb 7 months, 1 week ago

Munichburg Taproom is also good, with perhaps the best onion rings in town. A casino would bring extra money here for sure, but be careful what you wish for. When the national trend to legalize casinos hit, I figured the mob would not be able to compete. Well they do quite well and that's a crowd we really don't need here. Michael J. Fox and Jimmy Stewart showed us Casinotown USA quite well in their movies, and you only need to spend a few days in Booneville to see the scuz ring around everything. It's not as if a city can't control the negative influences of for-profit gambling, but it pays better not to, and guess what, they seldom do. The occaisional shriek of joy in a casino is soon drowned out by cries of despair and barfing; there's really nothing to be gained there; the glitz is fake, the drinks are aimed at your inhibitions, and the companion sins are rife. No, I'm not thumping, as many in these threads will attest. I guess I'd have to say that casinos sit right square at the intersection of my view of the government's need to regulate our baser natures, and the market's right to find any way possible to pry your money away from you. I'll argue for the right to smoke that pipe for its dreams, but I vote against the stain of the casino every chance I'm offered . . . but I'd take one of those 450 jobs . . .

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