LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: DON'T SHOOT TOWN IN THE FOOT

To the Editor:

I guess the citizens of Cape Girardeau have now seen and read it all! The group Citizens Against Riverboat Gambling have now declared that the proposed riverboat will unleash upon our city teen-aged mutant addicted gamblers stealing their "parents' credit cards" to support their vice. What's next on their agenda of scare tactics and arguments based solely on emotion?

As for a relationship between teen-agers, crime and riverboat gambling, there is non~e! First, no one under 21 would even be allowed on the riverboat. Second, even the academic sponsor to the university's group Students Against Riverboat Gambling stated during that debate that there was no correlation between crime and riverboat gambling. None.

What other questions have the pessimistic opponents of the riverboat raised? They keep wondering where the boat will actually be placed. I drove down to Capaha Park and believe me, that pond is too small, plus Lake Girardeau is too far away. Most people have seen the wonderful drawings of the proposed site downtown and know exactly where the riverboat would be placed.

The opponents also say that the riverboat will hurt area businesses. They think visitors won't spend any money in our shops, restaurants and hotels, and that you and I will spend all our money on the boat.

First, let's play devil's advocate and ask what would happen if no visitors to the riverboat spent any money in Cape. Remember that we're talking about a business locating in Cape that by law must return a percentage of its revenue to the city of Cape Girardeau and the state of Missouri. This means that unlike Wal-Mart, with its revenue making a bee-line towards Arkansas, the riverboat would still have a huge positive impact on our city.

Second, it's estimated that citizens of Cape will make up 15 percent of the riverboat's customers. The remaining customers will be visitors to Cape that wouldn't have visited here before, spending money that they wouldn't have spent before.

Let's not shoot ourselves and our city in the foot by voting "no" to a brighter economic future. Let's not see all those cars on I-55 taking the Scott City exit instead of our own. Please vote "yes" on Nov. 2.

Steve Summers

Cape Girardeau