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Cape Girardeau Also Braces for Casino Showdown

Posted on October 28th, 2010

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The small town of Cape Girardeau will be one of the battlefields this coming elections. This town, among a number of towns in a lot of states in the US, will get to decide on a proposed casino project as part of a referendum. For a number of voters, the casino proposal has been presented to them as a guiding light of economic growth, especially for the downtown of the city, which has been subject to neglect. Those in opposition to the casino are quick to point out that this project is offering false promises in terms of economic growth and job creation. They claim that a casino will just be a cause for addiction and personal finance problems while also draining profits from the state. On November 2, voters will make it clear which side they are on by casting ballots on whether a casino should be allowed in the city. This decision though, will be affected by forces outside of Cape Giarardeau, as gambling regulators of the state are in the process of considering other proposals from a number of cities to determine which will get Maine’s last available casino license.

Cape Girardeau itself has been divided because of the issue. The city has been known to be politically conservative, but the economic benefits that will be gained because of a casino are letting others take a more progressive stand. The competition is now between those who see the casino as the impetus of economic development and those concerned about immorality and social costs of the casino in the city. Moreover, casino opponents caution for everyone not to put too much of their hopes on the casino After all, even if the residents of Cape Girardeau say yes to the initiative, there are no guarantees that the Missouri Gaming Commission will award the license to the city. A no vote will certainly ensure that the casino will not be built in the city. Casino proponents argue that such an opportunity may never present itself to the city again.

Trent Summers, a spokesman for the campaign committee that is behind developing a casino, commented, “It is probably one of the last, best opportunities to revitalize Cape’s downtown, and we think the possibility of bringing over 400 jobs to Cape Girardeau is something that in this economy we desperately need.”. Casino critics also express the same level of urgency. A lot of their objections are anchored on moral and religious grounds, presented as a succession of social ills. They point out that casinos bring the ABCs of ruin – addiction, bankruptcy, crime, divorce, and depression, among others. Some sectors have expressed doubts that a casino will indeed generate economic gains for Cape Girardeau. Some opine that instead of income generation, the casino may suck business away from local restaurants and bars. Doug Austin, an organizer of a group opposed to the proposed casino, said, “There aren’t no new pennies falling from heaven to be used for gambling … that money has got to come from somewhere.”

Should the casino push through in the city, Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. will handle the project. The company has already attached a $125 million price tag to the project. The company aims to have at least 450 to as many as 500 employees in the facility. In its application to state gambling regulators, the company gave a prediction that the casino will attract 1 million visitors every year from at least six states. Isle of Capri estimates a total of $3 million to be added to the city’s coffers via tax revenues and allocations.

Cape Girardeau currently has 38,000 people and is between St. Louis and Memphis, TN. At 8.2 percent, the city’s unemployment rate is one of the highest in the region, although the state’s overall rate is higher at 9.3 percent. While business has been thriving in the highway that cuts through the city, its downtown area has been struggling, with occupancy of buildings at an all-time low. Should the casino push through in the city, it will be located in a building that once housed a shoe factory. Casino proponents are counting on support from the big names of the city, while grassroots backing will be the ace of casino opponents.