RIVERBOAT ISSUE SINKS; CAPE GIRARDEAU VOTERS TURN DOWN GAMBLING

Cape Girardeau voters Tuesday rejected riverboat gambling by a margin of 53-47 percent.

The ballot measure, which passed in only four of the city's 16 voting precincts, was defeated 5,506 votes to 4,940.

While voters here rejected riverboat gambling, a similar measure passed overwhelmingly in Caruthersville, 1,238 votes to 597 a 67-33 percent margin.

The Cape Girardeau vote was the culmination of a grandiose campaign by proponents of the issue, lauding the economic benefits of a Las Vegas-based gaming company's proposal for a floating casino on Cape Girardeau's riverfront.

On the other side, opponents decried the immorality of gambling and warned that a riverboat would be an economic siphon in Southeast Missouri.

Predictably, opponents were elated with Tuesday's election results.

"This is one of the greatest days in the life of the city," said Melvin Gateley, a city councilman and one of the organizers of Citizens Against Riverboat Gambling. "The wonderful residents of our city have indicated the character of this city."

The Rev. Charles Grant of the First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau, and also a member of Citizens Against Riverboat Gambling, said he was "pleasantly surprised" by the outcome of the election.

"Today's vote was an affirmation of the positive values of our community," Grant said. "The closeness of the vote indicates those values are changing."

But proponents of riverboat gambling, who gathered at a reception at the River City Yacht Club above Port Cape Girardeau restaurant, were less cheerful.

Dan Davis, a consultant for The Boyd Group the gaming company that campaigned on behalf of riverboat gambling said he was disappointed but not surprised by the vote.

"I'm disappointed for the businesses and people looking for jobs," Davis said. "We literally had hundreds of resumes turned in by people looking for jobs."

David Knight, who owns a company downtown that manufactures barbecue grills, said citizens Tuesday "lost a precious opportunity."

Knight said opponents rejected the measure on moral grounds, which was a difficult issue for riverboat gambling advocates to confront. Proponents had hoped the economic enticements of The Boyd Group proposal would be sufficient to persuade voters.

Boyd Group officials promised a $37.5 million capital investment for a riverboat employing 800 workers. They estimated the local share of revenue from the operation would be $2 million annually, in addition to tens of millions in tourism dollars.

"The economics of it speak for themselves," Knight said. "Those numbers are indisputable."

Knight said he hoped those who worked to defeat the proposal would strive as hard to promote economic development and bring industry to Cape Girardeau.

"I challenge the opposition to provide the community with an alternative," he said, "in terms of jobs, funds for education, tourism dollars and investment in the community."

Knight wouldn't say whether proponents would attempt to get riverboat gambling back on the ballot for a subsequent election. The next city election is in August, where voters will decide on an amended ward representation measure first approved in November.

Some of those gathered at the Yacht Club Tuesday said they'd like to have another shot at the issue.

But Grant said he hoped citizens will move gracefully on to other issues.

"Today we found out one issue that divides Cape Girardeans," he said. "Tomorrow we need to begin working again on common goals for our community.

"We had a family disagreement," Grant added. "Now it's time to move on in a positive direction."

William S. Boyd, CEO and chairman of the board for The Boyd Group, said he was pleased with the campaign, despite the results.

"We think we ran a great election," Boyd said. "We discussed the issues properly more jobs, more funding for the city of Cape Girardeau and the schools but the voters have spoken.

"But it was a vote only against riverboat gambling, not Cape Girardeau. We hope the city will go on and continue to grow and prosper."

When asked if The Boyd Group would remain interested in bringing a riverboat to Cape Girardeau if the issue was again placed on the ballot, Boyd said his company would "keep our options open.

"We like Cape Girardeau. We think it's a great city," he said. "But we have to analyze the vote before coming to a decision."

The 10,446 ballots cast, including 510 absentee ballots, represents about 54 percent of the city's registered voters. Election officials called Tuesday's turnout relatively high, particularly for a single-issue election.

The measure failed in all but four wards: Ward 1, Red Star Baptist; Ward 4, Centenary Methodist; Ward 8, City Hall; and Ward 12, May Greene School.