DOWNTOWN STIRS IN ELECTION AFTERMATH

Downtown Cape Girardeau has been buzzing with rumors of real estate deals to be made and businesses that have been saved because Cape Girardeau voters approved riverboat gambling Tuesday.

Gambling opponents, meanwhile, are trying to decide whether to continue the fight or focus on influencing which type gaming operation comes to the city.

Strangers in business suits have been seen peering in windows on Main Street at dawn. Forty-six job-seekers called Yes Group coordinator Evelyn Boardman the day after the vote, and eight more were standing in front of her door when she opened it at 8 a.m. Thursday morning.

The Yes Group is the local organization that worked for passage of riverboat gambling.

Boardman already has 500 resumes on file from last June's election, when riverboat gambling was defeated. All the applications have been unsolicited.

"We don't even have an application form," she said.

Far from all the applicants are from Cape Girardeau.

"We've had some Metropolis (Ill.) boat workers, people from Chaffee, Scott City, even one from Cape Canaveral, Fla.," she said.

Two historic buildings, the Marquette Hotel and St. Vincent's Seminary, are the stars of the most frequent real estate rumors.

Thad Bullock, owner of the long-vacant hotel on Broadway, said two potential buyers are interested. One is a Las Vegas-based gambling company, he said.

The other prospective buyer already has a local presence and is looking at the hotel as office space, he said.

Dan Donley, a realtor with Century 21 in Cape Girardeau, confirmed that a possible sale of the six-story hotel is being negotiated.

"It's a very delicate situation right now," he said.

Lloyd Smith, U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson's chief of staff, said Friday that the Broadway site could be home to a new U.S. courthouse. Under such a scenario, the hotel would be torn down to make way for the new construction.

Boardman compared the election celebration attended by about 300 people Tuesday night at the River City Yacht Club to "an old high school reunion. Everybody was hugging everybody.

"We really have a wonderful feeling about this," she said.

"There is a new feeling in downtown Cape Girardeau," said Mike Sams, owner of LaBamba Restaurant, 123 N. Main. "There's excitement in the air. It's refreshing to hear people talk about the interest in purchasing property and possibility of new stores. I just can't imagine that riverboat gaming could hurt business."

Sams says he is looking with anticipation to the start of riverboat gaming.

"I've talked to restaurant owners in Metropolis, Ill.," added Sams. "They tell us that business has tripled and in some cases quadrupled since the boat came to town.

"I just wish we didn't have to a wait a year for operations to start."

Dennis "Doc" Cain, who operates Port Cape Girardeau, 19 N. Water in the downtown area, and Port Cape West in West Park Mall, agrees.

"I'm excited and anxious to see things get started," said Cain. "People who come into the restaurants are talking positively about it and looking forward to better times."

Cain points out that more opportunities will exist for many people.

"Businesses everywhere -- now just in the downtown area -- will see growth," said Cain.

Sherri Burleson, one of the owners of Chrisman Art Gallery, 34 N. Main, said, "We think it will help traffic flow in the downtown area."

Burleson added that most downtown merchants were focusing on the positive aspect of casino gambling.

Meanwhile, negotiations are under way on at least three large downtown buildings.

"Options had been taken on several downtown buildings, and these options are now being exercised," said one owner. "But, there are no announcements until final papers are signed."

Some merchants are talking about exterior building improvements.

The downtown area, which already features a number of specialty stores, restaurants and antique and gift shops, may see more of the same.

Already under discussion are a coffee/tea/wine operation and a new lounge.

The Nov. 2 election results have picked up more than spirits, says Boardman.

"The victory may have saved six or seven businesses that indicated they were going to close."

Most of owners have decided to stick it out to see what the riverboat brings, she said, adding that at least two of those businesses still may close.

Members of Citizens Against Riverboat Gambling have not decided what to do with their attempt to keep riverboat gambling out of the city.

The group has been advised by an unnamed attorney that the city charter has a provision for returning such an issue to the ballot, but some within the organization want "to seek other ways of working constructively with the situation as it now exists," said the Rev. Charles Grant, the group's spokesman during the latest campaign.

On Thursday, Gene Wiseman, elections director for the Division of Elections in the secretary of state's office in Jefferson City, said the group appears to have no legal remedy.

"On a local city issue there is no recourse," he said.

A proposition may be brought back periodically as long as it's defeated, Wiseman said, but not once passed.

"On the state level nothing is provided for within the statutes to go through the recall process."

Grant said the group has not come to consensus on how to proceed anyway.

"We're trying to figure out what's in the best interests of Cape Girardeau, and which path to pursue to achieve that end."

The discussions "have been colored by the fact that I'm not sure it makes any difference what we decide," Grant said. "Somebody might decide to bring it back anyway."

Some new people may be involved in the group now, said the Presbyterian minister, who won't continue as spokesman.

"I've had my say. People have heard from me for the last year, and I've told them more than I know."

Boardman says the Yes Group will concentrate on convincing the city council to approve the Boyd Gaming Corporation's $37.5 million proposal to place a casino on the Cape Girardeau riverfront.

"We never kept it any secret we were working for the Boyd Group," said Boardman, who is employed by the company.

She hopes the council's next meeting will bring an invitation to the company to make a proposal.

Boyd will vie with any other interested gambling companies to win the council's endorsement as the city's vendor. Then it will be up to the State Gaming Commission to decide whether to grant a license.

Boardman said the Boyd proposal would take 9-18 months to complete after a license is issued.

Recalling the victory celebration Tuesday night, she said, "We were really jubilant. Everybody is looking forward. It seemed like this was the beginning of a new era of economic progress, the first step into the next decade."