RIVER GROUP OKs CASINO LOCATION

The Industrial River Advisory Committee supports the new location proposed on the Mississippi River for a Boyd Gaming Corporation riverboat docking site.

An IRAC spokesman said Thursday that the group approved the new downtown site at Cape Girardeau following a safety test conducted earlier this month.

A letter approving the site about 750 feet north of the Broadway floodwall entrance will be submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District.

Boyd Gaming is seeking a docking permit from the Corps. Boyd had originally planned to dock its riverboat casino about 600 feet north of the Broadway floodgate.

The docking permit could be granted within the next month, according to Corps official Mike Brazier, who heads the regulatory branch of the Corps' St. Louis District.

Brazier said the Corps was waiting to receive design plans for the new site from Boyd.

"Once we have the design plans, a decision could be issued within two to three weeks," said Brazier.

Boyd officials who accompanied Corps and Coast Guard representatives and river industry delegates on a test run here March 1 indicated the plans for the new site would be available within three weeks, or about March 22.

During the test run, a tow and 25 barges passed by the proposed site, traveling both up river and down river.

"Safety is a big issue," said Brazier.

He said Boyd Gaming has indicated it would erect a barrier of steel sheet piling filled with rock and sand upstream from the riverboat and docking area.

Any development will have to meet Corps and Coast Guard requirements.

Following Corps approval, Boyd will meet with Cape Girardeau officials to discuss a development and operating contract.

Boyd Gaming has proposed two gambling operations in Missouri -- a $116 million operation at Kansas City and a $42.1 million facility at Cape Girardeau. Boyd has already applied for a permit from the Missouri Gaming Commission for the Kansas City site, which is under construction,

The gaming commission currently is processing applications for Boyd and Aztar Corp. The latter company will operate a gaming facility at Caruthersville.

The Aztar riverboat, City of Caruthersville, arrived at Caruthersville last week. Gaming equipment, slot machines and table games are being installed on the riverboat, which has a capacity for about 600 people.

Aztar hopes to start operations in April.