Casino Aztar continues to contest tax payments

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- While the county north of it debates whether or not it wants a casino, Pemiscot County hasn't collected a penny in property taxes from its casino in Caruthersville in four years.

"It would be the worst mistake of their lives," said Pemiscot County Assessor Donna Snyder of the proposal to build a $300 million casino and resort in Mississippi County. "I guess I shouldn't say that. Not all casinos are alike."

Pemiscot County officials have been at odds with Aztar Missouri Gaming Group since 1999, when the casino tried to have its real and personal property tax assessments reduced, money that would pay to fund Pemiscot County schools and government agencies.

The Missouri Tax Commission ruled in 2001 that the Caruthersville casino merited tax relief based on what commissioners ruled were mistaken appraisals of the property. The commission said that the county inflated Aztar's assessed valuation, basing the appraisal on the nature of the business instead of merely tallying the value of the land and personal property.

The commission ruled the fair market value of the real estate is $4.2 million instead of the $11.9 million Pemiscot County decided, and the personal property was worth $5.1 million, not $17.2 million. Assessed values -- the calculation for taxation -- make up 32 percent of market value for commercial property.

Hurry and wait

After the ruling, Pemiscot County appealed the decision to circuit court. But since it was filed three years ago, the matter has never been set for a hearing.

"I don't know what's taking so long," Snyder said. "I really don't. But meanwhile, we haven't seen a nickel in four years."

Snyder said that $1.5 million is sitting in an escrow account, an amount Aztar has paid under protest, but the county can't touch the money while the matter is in litigation.

Under Snyder's assessment, the casino would pay about $476,000 in property taxes a year. Under the casino's estimate, it would pay $75,000 a year, she said.

"And that's a $57 million project," Snyder said. "That's what they paid to build it."

Casino general manager George Stadler didn't return phone calls Friday afternoon. But he did say in press reports in 2001 that the casino wanted to make sure that it wasn't overpaying.

Residents around Pemiscot County seem to have a favorable impression about what the casino, which employs more than 300 people, means.

Charlotte Lewis, who lives in nearby Braggadocio, notes the positive changes.

"When the casino came in, they cleaned up the two entrances to town," she said. "It brought in a few restaurants that we wouldn't have had. And it's provided lots of jobs."