CARUTHERSVILLE WINS

Don't tell the people of Caruthersville that legalized riverboat gambling is bad for Missouri.

Two years ago, Pemiscot County was reeling from the announcement by Brown Shoe Co. that it was closing its plant in Caruthersville, eliminating 450 jobs and swelling the already daunting 15.6 percent unemployment rate.

The Bootheel town, population 7,200, was devastated. Along came Casino Aztar with a $50 million casino complex along the Mississippi River in downtown Caruthersville. The riverboat and land-based pavilion with restaurant, snack bar, sports bar and gift shop employs more than 600 people. In the past two years, Pemiscot County's unemployment rate has dropped to 6.1 percent.

Apparently, business is good. Aztar plans to add a dockside gambling facility that will add 100 jobs and is expected to attract another 400,000 visitors annually -- on top of the 600,000 expected to visit the riverboat casino this year.

Aztar so far has paid for more than $2 million in street work and lighting. Also, Aztar pays the city of Caruthersville $1 million annually in addition to fees and a portion of admissions. In all, the city this year will get more than $2 million from the casino. That money is being used to beef up city services such as police and fire protection and street maintenance and construction.

During its operation, Aztar's slot machines have paid out more than $119 million. It's a safe bet that at least some of that payout is recirculated in the Caruthersville economy.

As its economy improves, Caruthersville is getting interest from other industrial firms. Cupple's Manufacturing of St. Louis is moving into the old Brown Shoe building.

Riverboat gambling in Missouri still leaves much to be desired. The continual pressure to loosen regulations on gambling companies and the cannibalizing nature of big city riverboats competing for customers are two failings that come to mind.

But for the people of Caruthersville, it seems their gamble has paid off.