Missouri's 13th Casino License

I don't know if anyone has been following this, but the Missouri Gaming Commission has been holding open meetings this week in the four proposed sites for Missouri's one remaining casino license. The license opened up because the President casino in St. Louis closed down recently.

So, does anyone have an opinion about this? Personally, I think both KC and St. Louis are relatively casino-saturated; the StL has something like 6 casinos, and Kansas City has four, with a fifth currently being built on the Kansas side, so I think a casino outside both metro areas would be best.

So that leaves Cape Girardeau, which apparently has some vocal opposition to the whole thing. If they don't want it, and we'll find out November 2nd, then I say to just mothball the whole thing and keep at at 12 for a while (forever?), which the Gaming Commission has mentioned as a fifth option too.

I don't think I would want to be casino operator number 13. Just saying...

I live in St. Louis, and know the market pretty well.

It seems like the residents in Cape don't want the casino. So if they don't want it, it's either St. Louis or Kansas City.

I don't know the Kansas City market well, but it seems like it's as saturated as the St. Louis market. The advantage to putting the 13th license in North County St. Louis is that it will attract gamblers from Illinois, that go to Alton and East St. Louis. This may just about kill both of those casinos, which is fine by Missouri. So I do think the North St. Louis casino will be profitable to Missouri. Will it create lots of jobs in the St. Louis metro area? No.

The best place to put the casino in my opinion, would be on the river in Branson. Then you'll get gamblers from all over.

Quote: FinsRule

The best place to put the casino in my opinion, would be on the river in Branson. Then you'll get gamblers from all over.

Branson? The town that goes out of it's way to brand itself as "family friendly" entertainment?

That would be a great place to put one, though. Ride some roller coasters, see a show, and go gamble!

Quote: rdw4ptous

I don't think I would want to be casino operator number 13. Just saying...

Yeah, that number definitely wasn't lost on me ;-)

Isn't there already a casino in Carruthersville? That is one of the poorest areas in the country, and not many people drive through there. I don't know if it can support two casinos. What about the Joplin/Springfield area? And really, enough with the "boats" requirement. Those aren't really boats, they're land casinos that happen to be on water. Just make them land-based already.

I don't think Lumiere Place is boat based... I'm pretty sure it is actually a land based casino, although it is very close to the water.

The Kansas City market is not oversaturated... yet. Ameristar pretty much calls the shots, while Argosy and Harrah's battle for second. Isle is mostly poor, downtrodden souls, although I actually enjoy some of the options and it's very empty. But once Hollywood takes up shop out at the Speedway (on the Kansas side), Penn will put the screws to Ameristar. Neither casino will gain market share entirely, but combined, Ameristar will be hurting, especially if they keep screwing people on comps. And 7th Street Casino doesn't count... I went there once and was glad to get out alive.

As far as St Louis, that market IS oversaturated. Ameristar gets most people west of the Missouri, Harrah's gets people who for one reason or another don't like Ameristar. I've not been to the newest one, but I imagine it gets the South county market. Argosy gets... well, I guess people who live in Alton?? And Casino Queen and Lumiere split the rest. The only logical place in the St Louis market for another casino to go would be East, like Arnold area, but that would not be a wise move.

I would have to agree that Joplin is the smart move for a casino. People who object to paying for antes in OK would come on over and have a good time. Granted, they'd be competing with Downstream which wisely does not charge the antes to the players, but without loss limits, it would still do well.

I miss Missouri. :(

Quote: FinsRule

The best place to put the casino in my opinion, would be on the river in Branson. Then you'll get gamblers from all over.

I thought I heard something a while back about somebody being interested in putting one on Tablerock Lake, near Branson. I makes sense, as Branson gets a lot of older visitors, and those seniors do like the slot machines!