RIVERBOAT GAMBLING TO BE TOPIC AT TOWN-HALL MEETINGS

Riverboat gambling will be the topic of a series of "town-hall" meetings in Cape Girardeau.

The Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory Board voted Wednesday to hold the three informational meetings to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a riverboat casino. The cost of the meetings is not to exceed $1,500.

Bob Ratliffe, director of the Greater Alton (Ill.)-Twin Rivers Convention & Visitors Bureau, has agreed to discuss his community's efforts during negotiations to attract the Alton Belle Riverboat Casino to the Alton area.

"Ratliffe has no connections to the casino," said CVB advisory board member Dennis "Doc" Cain. "He has no interest in Cape Girardeau's efforts to obtain a riverboat casino. He is willing to appear at three community meetings to share information and answer questions on the issue."

No dates were set for the meetings.

Voters in Cape Girardeau will go to the polls June 8 to cast ballots on whether to allow a riverboat casino to dock here.

"I found a lot of positives when I visited Alton recently," Cain told the board. "Law enforcement authorities say there has been no increase in crime, merchants are happy with the influx of more shoppers, and the city of Alton realized $4 million in new revenue the first year of operation of the Alton Belle."

Cain added that the Alton Belle has created 450 to 600 jobs. "Salaries of these jobs range from $7 an hour up to the $60,000 range for executives," he said.

"The CVB is not endorsing riverboat gambling," added Cain. "But I think that the people here should be well informed about a riverboat casino and what it can mean to Cape Girardeau."

The board briefly discussed some of the requirements of operating a riverboat casino in Missouri.

Unless changes are made, no more than 50 percent of the square footage of a casino docking in Missouri shall be used for gambling activity, with a section reserved solely for activities and interests of persons under the age of 21.

A section of the boats must be reserved for promotion and sale of arts, crafts and gifts native to and made in Missouri, and a section must be available for dining facilities capable of seating at least 20 percent of the passenger capacity.

In other action at the Wednesday CVB meeting, it was announced that the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen would make a holiday stop in the city in 1993.

Cathy Crites of the CVB staff reported meeting with John Abel from the Delta Queen Steamboat Line, who said the two boats' last shore stop during the Fourth of July Great Steamboat Race will be at Cape Girardeau.

"We don't have a time yet, but the boats will be here July 3 for a big picnic before embarking on the final leg of the New Orleans-to-St. Louis race," said Crites. "We're in the process of planning a picnic for the passengers of the two boats."

Two additional paddlewheeler stops are scheduled at Cape Girardeau this year. The Mississippi Queen will stop here Aug. 27, and the Delta Queen will make a stop Oct. 11.