IT'S DOWN TO WIRE FOR NEGOTIATIONS ON THE RIVERBOAT

The hoops through which Boyd Gaming Corp. must jump in order to develop its planned riverboat casino at Cape Girardeau are getting closer and closer. There are three major hoops: a contract with the city, an agreement with the U.S. Corps of Engineers and an operating permit from the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Boyd is no newcomer to riverboat gambling. Its operations include Sam's Town and Gambling Hall on the Mississippi River at Tunica, Miss., just south of Memphis. Its application for a state license for its gaming complex in Kansas City -- already under construction -- is currently under review. This may help the casino development in Cape Girardeau, because the bulk of the investigation by the gaming commission of Boyd will have been completed.

Looking at each of the hoops separately, there are some things to watch for:

City contract: One issue that has risen to the surface is traffic flow, particularly along William Street near the downtown area. Currently William Street is at least four lanes all the way from I-55 east to Sprigg Street. Then it narrows to two lanes into the downtown area. In addition, much of the traffic from Illinois will be using Lorimier Street to get downtown, and the intersection of Lorimier and William could be a bottleneck. One idea is to make William three lanes from Sprigg to Main Street, which would relieve some of the congestion at William and Lorimier, but so far Boyd is only interested in making William three lanes from Lorimier to Main, leaving a stretch of two-lane street from Sprigg to Lorimier. This is one issue that ought to be clarified before the city signs a contract. Other key issues surrounding the $52 million project are equally as important, and there is every indication city officials are paying close attention to the details. Improvements along William Street shouldn't be overlooked.

Corps of Engineers approval: At issue here is the exact site on the river where Boyd will be permitted to dock its riverboat. There are many considerations, but the key factor is barge traffic and making sure the gambling operation doesn't interfere. Boyd officials say they are meeting with Corps of Engineers representatives, and there don't appear to be any snags at this point.

State license: Boyd's record as a successful gaming operator bodes well for getting approval from the Missouri Gaming Commission, both for the planned Cape Girardeau development and for the Kansas City complex. Looking into the future, however, there has to be some concern about the number of riverboats that can thrive -- and survive -- along the state's waterways. Missouri is one of the states with riverboat gambling that hasn't set a limit on the number of licenses that can be granted. The state of Mississippi doesn't have a limit either and has granted 35 licenses. That state has experienced four riverboat failures since 1991, linked in large part to stiff competition. The gaming commission says it wants to avoid oversaturation. However, Cape Girardeau's riverboat is likely to compete with another floating casino at Scott City, only a few miles down the river, run by Lady Luck Gaming Corp., and yet another riverboat at Caruthersville -- about 80 miles south -- to be operated by Aztar Corp.

None of these hoops is too small or too high to jump through. But the individual holding the hoops -- the city council, the Corps of Engineers and the gaming commission -- have a responsibility to safeguard the best interests of the communities where the riverboats will operate. That means dealing with items as little as whether a city street should be more than two lanes for a couple of blocks.