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North County Casino Proposal Failure Signals Weak MarketChain of Rocks Casino at Equal Risk(St. Louis-MO)- Economics killed the north county casino proposal in the floodplain at Spanish Lake. When promoters of a north county casino complex notified the Missouri Gaming Commission this week of their difficulty lining up financing or obtaining a commitment from any casino partners for the project, they offered further evidence that the casino market in St. Louis is saturated. Members of the Save the Confluence Coalition predict that the casino proposal at the Chain of Rocks Bridge in north St. Louis will suffer a similar fate. “When we mention a new casino in St. Louis, people don’t ask ‘where?’ they immediately say, ‘we don’t need anothercasino,’” said Kathleen Logan-Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. “Everyone with any common sense knows that if someone has money to gamble, they already have plenty of choices in St. Louis.” “The Chain of Rocks casino proposal makes no economic sense for the area either,” said Dr. Patricia Hagen, Executive Director of the Audubon Center at Riverlands. “And it would undercut $150 million worth of investments in ecological restoration and nature education that will pay dividends for generations.” The Save the Confluence Coalition, consisting of more than 25 organizations representing more than 90,000 Missourians, has led a massive campaign in opposition to the floodplain casinos. The first proposal at Spanish Lake, now withdrawn, would have converted farmland, wetlands and floodplain into a casino complex next to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. But the issues that made this casino problematic still exist at the Chain of Rocks location. “For thousands of years, the flowing water at Chain of Rocks has attracted American Bald Eagles that can still catch fish there in the winter when the rest of the river is frozen,” said Barbara Floreth, President of the Chain of Rocks Community Association. “There is no other place on the river around here quite like it. Why not enhance the amenities that already attract people to visit? The proposed casino site is surrounded by parks and recreational areas – why put a neon-lit, windowless casino in the center of this natural spot?” Conservationists are still in opposition to the Chain of Rocks project because it is still near enough to the Conservation Area to have a harmful effect. It would impact a globally significant migratory flyway, and change the peaceful nature of an area that offers city residents a place to connect with the outdoors through fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, bird watching and photography. Community health advocates oppose the casinos for the high social costs that gambling addiction imposes on families and communities increasing poverty, instability, crime and domestic violence. Taxpayers oppose the casinos because they would require expensive infrastructure changes to the Riverview drive and Interstate 270 interchange and to storm sewers as well as ongoing maintenance costs. The Missouri Gaming Commission will determine this fall whether to issue the state’s 13th gaming license to one of three license applicants: Cape Girardeau, Sugar Creek (Kansas City) and St. Louis at Chain of Rocks. To learn more about the opposition to this project check out This Great Posting on BELTSTL! IN THE NEWS October 23 - KSDK NEWS – Channel 5 – Group Protests Proposed Casino October 22 - St. Louis Business Journal – Group: St. Louis Casino Market Saturated The time is now to step up and help protect your city from the greed of the gaming At risk is 337-acres of flood plain which sits just south of the Confluence of the St. Louis already has six casinos operating in the area and the addition of a seventh Show your support by voicing your opinion, write or e-mail the gaming commission at: Leann McCarthy leann.mccarthy@mgc.dps.mo.gov Together we can make a difference, Take Action Now! Click here to read the Conservation Federation of Missouri’s statement of opposition to the proposed casino near the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area:
Volunteer to Collect Postcards to Send to the Missouri Gaming Commission
To volunteer to help at these events, contact Maggie Joyce.
Email : mjoyce3@slu.edu
Phone : 901-652-7593
August 18 August 21 August 28 August 28-29 August 31 Sept. 4-5 Sept. 18 Oct 1-3 The Lakeside Hills/Parc Charlene Neighborhood Association has given its support to the Save the Confluence Coalition’s efforts to prevent a casino development in north St. Louis County. Members at the Association’s Annual Meeting voted unanimously last Thursday in support of a motion expressing their support for preventing siting of a casino in Spanish Lake, adjacent to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. “It was a unanimous vote. No one was interested in having a casino in north county,” said Association Treasurer David Learman. “We are thrilled that Lakeside Hills/Parc Charlene residents have stepped up to oppose this unwise and damaging North County LLC casino proposal,” said Kathleen Logan Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. The Save the Confluence Coalition consists of over 80 organizations opposing the floodplain casino plan, a casino development proposed for 377 acres at the Confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Even though six casinos already exist within a 30 minute drive, the floodplain casino is proposed adjacent to a wildlife conservation area at the Confluence in one of the most ecologically unique places in North America. The Save the Confluence Coalition aims to save the farmland, wetlands, migratory bird flyway and floodplain in this valuable area. Members of the Save the Confluence Coalition opposing a proposed casino development adjacent to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at Spanish Lake will reach out to the 10,000 visitors attending the Earth Day Festival at Forest Park Sunday, April 25, 11am-6pm. “We invite people to visit our booth at Earth Day and learn more about why saving the Confluence is so important to the region,” said Dora Gianoulakis with the Spanish Lake Community Association. “We are focused on mobilizing supporters with a message to the Missouri Gaming Commission that the proposed casino at Spanish Lake is the wrong development in the wrong place,” said Kathleen Logan Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. “We all lose if a casino complex is built in the last remaining undeveloped area on the Mississippi River floodplain in the metro.” “We want to make it clear that the confluence floodplain is no place for yet another casino,” said Harold Hendrick of the Bott Radio Network, one of the organizations representing more than 100,000 people united in the Save the Confluence Coalition. “People can help by speaking up.” The Missouri Gaming Commission is accepting proposals through May 1 for the remaining Missouri casino license and will determine where it will go. The Save the Confluence Coalition consists of over eighty organizations opposing the floodplain casino plan which is proposed adjacent to a wildlife conservation area at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in one of the most ecologically unique places in North America. North County Development LLC is proposing the casino development on 377 acres even though six casinos already exist within a 30 minute drive. The Save the Confluence campaign aims to save the farmland, wetlands, migratory bird flyway and floodplain adjacent to the Columbia Bottom Conservation area along the Mississippi River in north St. Louis County. |
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