BOYDS PLEDGE $500,000 FOR SEMINARY

Boyd Gaming Corp. announced Tuesday that it will donate $500,000 to the Colonial Cape Girardeau Foundation if the company is selected as the city's riverboat gaming operator.

Boyd Chairman Bill Boyd said the donation will help the foundation fulfill its dream of purchasing St. Vincent's Seminary. The foundation hopes to convert the site into a Civil War museum and historical center.

"During our first visit to Cape, many people told us of the plans to create an interpretive museum at the seminary," said Boyd. "Historic attractions are a vital part of tourism, and their plans for the seminary will be a great complement to our proposed downtown complex."

Boyd Gaming is competing with Lady Luck Gaming Corp. for the city's recommendation for a riverboat gambling license in Cape Girardeau. The Lady Luck proposal includes the purchase and renovation of St. Vincent's Seminary for a museum and visitor's center.

Bob Boughner, Boyd Gaming's chief executive officer, said the company's donation will help maintain the historical value of St. Vincent's.

"This city has a such a rich history from its days as a great trading post on the Mississippi River to the steamboat days of the 1800s to the Glenn House and other historic homes," he said.