BOYD KC PLAN HEARING SET

Boyd Gaming Corp. could open its Sam's Town facility in Kansas City next week.

The Missouri Gaming Commission will meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Kansas City to discuss a number of topics and will hold a suitability hearing on Boyd's license application for its Kansas City gambling operation.

Approval of licensing at Kansas City could mean Boyd would then move on its gambling operation plan in Cape Girardeau.

Boyd officials could not be reached for comment Thursday, but William Boyd, chairman of the board of Boyd Gaming of Las Vegas, said in the latest issue of the company's news magazine that the company was still "bullish about our other Missouri project located in Cape Girardeau."

Boyd is planning a $51.1 million project for downtown Cape Girardeau. The project includes a $24.7 million riverboat and $26.4 million land-based facilities, which would include a parking garage, restaurant and retail space.

Also on the gaming commission's agenda are a request by Aztar Missouri Gaming Corp. for additional gambling positions and a dockside operation at Caruthersville; a request for continuous docking by the Harrah's/Players Maryland Heights casino proposal; and a license renewal for Harrah's North Kansas City Corp.

Boyd could open Wednesday in Kansas City, said one gaming commission official.

Included in the Boyd hearing will be remarks from Boyd representatives and comments from Kansas City officials and the public.

"We'll then conduct what we call a shakedown cruise," said Harold Bailey of the commission. "We'll go on board and walk through the operation."

The commission then will meet in closed session and make a decision on licensing. Boyd can open if the licensing is approved.

The Sam's Town Kansas City facility is a 32-acre project that would include a casino, the Final Score Sports Bar, the All-American Bar and Grille, the Uptown Buffet and Calamity Jane's Ice Cream Parlor.

The $116 million project was scheduled to open in July but was delayed by the flooding Missouri River. Construction was first delayed, then the high river delayed getting the riverboat casino from St. Louis to Kansas City.