Cape council sets special casino meeting; Tracy voices opposition

With a deadline less than two weeks away, the Cape Girardeau City Council will take a final look at its casino data at a special meeting Wednesday night, as well as try to settle on a list of projects that could be paid for with $1 million in land-sale proceeds.

At its Monday night meeting, council members said they wanted to have the special meeting this week to ensure the public has all the information before the gaming commission comes to town Monday for a three-hour public hearing at the River Campus.

"I think the citizens of Cape Girardeau need to have all of the information before they make public statements to the Missouri Gaming Commission," said council member John Voss. "We want to vet this as much as we can and share it with the constituents so they're informed as well as they can be. We need to be transparent on this issue."

The special meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at city hall, 401 Independence St.

Meanwhile, council member Debra Tracy acknowledged after the meeting she does not support the city's move to bring a casino to Cape Girardeau. She was the only no vote at the meeting Monday night to give final approval to the development deal.

Tracy is uncomfortable with the idea of getting something for nothing, she said, referring to gambling.

"My grandfather used to say the harder he worked, the luckier he got," she said. "My gut-level feeling is that I have a problem with giving something for nothing. ... So I have voted against it here, and I will continue to vote no."

Tracy said she intends to expand on her views soon with a letter to the editor for the Southeast Missourian's Opinion page.

The council has an Oct. 1 deadline to submit information about the city to the gaming commission. The packet must include information about economic development, a revenue-sharing plan, casino endorsements and other data.

Isle of Capri is proposing a $125 million casino for North Main Street. Voters will weigh in on gaming at the Nov. 2 election. Still, three other casino developers are seeking a single license available from the state. The Missouri Gaming Commission will decide which community gets it after holding public hearings next week, also in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.

The council Wednesday will also look at projects that could be paid for with money the city will receive that Isle of Capri will pay for roughly 11 acres it owns on the proposed site on North Main Street. As part of the development deal between the casino developers and the city -- which the council gave final approval to at its meeting Monday -- $1 million of the money would pay for Broadway amenities, while the other $1 million could be spent on projects at the council's discretion.

Council members were directed to get their wish lists to the city manager's office by noon Tuesday and the information would be disseminated and put into a report for the Wednesday meeting. Mayor Rediger has said some of his ideas for the money include a splash pad at Capaha Park, bike trails, a pedestrian bridge and city museum enhancements.

But Voss said at the meeting he'd like to repay some of the money borrowed from the city's emergency fund during the recent ice storms.

The city still owes $323,031 to the emergency fund, which is dictated by city charter. As it is now, the city is replenishing the fund over several years, Voss said.

"It's not sexy," he said. "I'd be the first to admit that. But there would still be a significant amount of money left for other projects and this would be the responsible thing and retire that debt. We need to make that fund whole."

* In other action, the council approved the creation of a consumption liquor license, which will allow businesses and clubs to not sell liquor but permit customers to bring their own alcohol.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO