Bingo parlor to open in fall

Business Today

The construction of a bingo parlor in Cape Girardeau began April 27 when a backhoe began digging footings for the foundation.

Bingo World, the city's first bingo hall, is expected to open in early September at 823 N. Clark, just south of the Cape Girardeau Senior Center.

"We'd like to see it open by the time the Southeast Missouri District Fair opens in Arena Park," said Tom Reinagel of the Clark Street Development Project, a not-for-profit group heading up the new hall.

Reinagel said three groups have signed up to use the hall, and more are expected.

Signed-up are:

Elks 639, Tuesdays;

Notre Dame Home and School Association, Wednesdays;

Notre Dame Boosters Club, Saturdays.

The groups that have agreed to leases currently meet in the Arena Building. They previously met in a building in the Town Plaza Shopping Center. An Army Reserve unit, the 348th Group, a new reserve engineer unit, has leased the building for a training facility.

Bingo World, a 20,000-square-foot building, will seat more than 1,180 people. It will include offices, concessions stands and bathroom facilities. The parking area will be designed to hold many vehicles.

The building will be divided into smoking and non-smoking sections, said Reinagel.