BestCraps.com

Gambling Hearing Splits Town Anew

Posted on October 1st, 2010

News Sponsored by Online Vegas Casino

Rated 5 Stars by BestCraps.com

Read Review

Visit Casino

Download Software

————————————————

Monday saw the townsfolk of Cape Girardeau take their sides on what they think would be better for their town – to have a casino or not. In the public hearing that lasted an hour, the side of the supporters and the side of the opposed seemed to balance out. The hearing, chaired by the Gaming Commission of the state of Missouri, saw 19 speakers getting impassioned in their pleas, all pointing out what makes their side more logical – whether it is the good or the bad effects the casinos would cause.

Close to 160 residents and casino industry insiders attended the hearing held at River Campus. In attendance as well are officials of the city, county and state. Those who are in favor of the casino were given the floor first. They pushed for the angle that the casino facility to be built by Isle of Capri to the expected tune of $125 million will be a cause of an economic uptrend with the creation of new employment opportunities, the generation of millions in additional revenues from taxes and the revival of surrounding businesses with millions of new visitors expected to arrive at Cape Girardeau, thanks to the casino. The other side, the opponents, did not waste any time by clearly stating the expected problems that a casino will bring to their area – gambling addiction, a variety of crimes and the ethics of millions of money to be funneled into the coffers of the city and the state which will actually come from the losses of gambling addicts.

The big names did not try to speak their minds on the microphone though. Those who got through the mic were regular folk who just wanted to give their two cents on what they feel will be the effects of a casino in Cape Girardeau would be. One of them was Judy Cantoni, a resident of the city since birth. In her speech, she admitted to the commission that she has been heartbroken to see the downtown area and Broadway go from a bustling area to a place that is in deep need of repair. She cited that a good number of structures in Broadway already have windows that have been covered by wooden boards and are in a state of condemnation. She noted that the fee of $2 million that the city will receive from the 11 acres of land that it owns and it will sell to the developer of the casino can be used to fund renovations along Broadway. Furthermore, there is the possibility that around half a million will be generated every year that could be used specifically to improve the downtown area. She adds, “Cape loves its downtown. Think of what we could do to our historic area with this influx of new funding.”

On the other side of the debate was Donna Smithey, who told the story of her father who struggled with the two edged-sword of gambling and alcohol addiction. She added that her mother had to put up a struggle to provide money for the family, and at the same time to pay off casino debts. She suggests that once the casino would be realized, the city should also anticipate the construction of large jails, rehab centers for drug and alcohol dependents and shelters for battered women. She testified, “You will need them. Does this city need money so bad, they will let lives be destroyed in the process? If you put a casino here, the city will be changed forever.”

Smithey found an ally in Dr. Bob Kamath, a psychiatrist based in the city. He added by saying that gambling branches out to a good number of other vices, including drug and alcohol abuse, smoking and sexual misconduct. These concerns that can be traced to gambling addiction brought about by the proliferation of gambling facilities affect children of the area directly, as their parents are struggling with these concerns. Jim Mathewson, the chairman of the state’s gambling commission said that the bidy will be making a decision on whether or not 13th license will be granted and to which company it will be granted before the year 2010 closes.