GAMING COMMISSION COULD LIMIT BOATS IN AREA

If voters in Cape Girardeau and Scott County both approve the local option for riverboat gaming on Nov. 2, the Missouri Gaming Commission that licenses boats could take into consideration the impact of having two boats located close to each other.

Although Missouri's law that established riverboat gaming does not specifically limit the number of boats that can be licensed in the state like the Illinois law does, it does give the commission discretion over where boats will be located.

If Scott County voters approve the local option, the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority has signed an agreement with Casino Magic to locate a boat at the port in Scott City. If Cape Girardeau voters approve the option, several companies have indicated they would be interested in docking a boat in Downtown Cape Girardeau.

Some concern has been raised locally over whether two gambling boats could economically operate in this market at both Scott City and Cape Girardeau, or whether both sites would get licenses.

Rebecca Randolph, a member of the staff of the Missouri Gaming Commission, said that is something the commission could take into consideration in deciding whether to issue licenses.

Missouri's law specifically limits the commission's ability to grant more than one license to any city or county in the state for the first three years, except for St. Louis and Kansas City.

Said Randolph: "The commission determines where they want to position a boat. There are no written guidelines, but it is the discretion of the commission whether two boats can be located close together."

Randolph added that market saturation is a criteria the commission will consider in granting licenses.

Before any license can be issued, the governing body of the city or county where a boat will be docked must approve the operator.

"One criteria for the application is to be approved as the licensee by the governing body where the boat will be docked," Randolph said.

Randolph explained that any permits needed from the Corps of Engineers and other agencies must be sought by boat operators and included in the application for a license.

The application also includes the specific location of a boat, the community's economic development or impact plan, the waterfront development plan, and other information deemed necessary. State law does not require the commission to accept a plan.

Decisions on whether a boat can be permanently docked are also left up to the commission. Most of the initial applicants for gaming licenses have requested dockside casinos rather than cruising casinos, because they are generally more profitable.

On Monday, the five-member gaming commission will hold a meeting in Jefferson City as part of its effort to develop rules and regulations.

Randolph said the commission hopes to have a final draft of the regulations ready by Nov. 1.

The gaming commission has already received about 20 license applications, and soon will begin doing background checks as required by law. Mel Fisher, who retired last month as the head of the Missouri Highway Patrol, has been hired as deputy director to coordinate the investigation process.

The commission began accepting applications Sept. 20 and will stop accepting them Nov. 5 for a short time. Then, on Dec. 6, the application period will re-open permanently.

Randolph said it is possible the first licenses will be granted by March or April, which could put some boats in operation by summer.

"We're telling people that it will take 3-6 months for background investigations to occur," said Randolph. "It could take longer if the information is not complete, but the commission is anticipating having the first license granted by March or April of 1994."

Randolph said it is possible there could be a backlog of applications for a while, because of the time required to do the background checks, but stressed the commission is unsure about the extent of delays at this point.

In 1991, state legislators approved a bill that would legalize riverboat gaming in Missouri, subject to a statewide vote. In November of 1992, Missouri voters approved the measure, which was presented primarily as a tourism tool.

Under the initial proposal, the Missouri Tourism Commission was to oversee the licensing of boats.

But after his election last November, Gov. Mel Carnahan expressed concern about having the tourism commission regulating the boats, and was successful in getting legislation approved earlier this year that established a state gaming commission.

The legislation also tightened several provisions of the state's riverboat gaming law.