MISSOURI RIVERBOATS SHOULD CRUISE RIVER

Missouri's riverboat gambling was sold to voters as a tourism bonanza -- a chance for tourists to cruise the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and gamble within limit. Unlike neighboring Illinois, Missouri boats limit losses to $500 per gaming session.

But excursion riverboats aren't always the rule in Missouri.

Of the five operating riverboats, two are land-based casinos. And a third land-based barge has been added to the excursion operation at St. Charles.

Last week, the architect for the Boyd Gaming Corp. addressed a group of downtown merchants. He said Boyd may request dockside privileges for its Cape Girardeau operation. Boyd Gaming has requested, and received, dockside privileges for its Kansas City project that is now under construction.

We hope the Cape Girardeau operation will be realized as a riverboat casino that travels up and down the Mississippi River.

The statewide trend toward dockside casinos is troubling. All of these operations float, but not all can cruise. This isn't the concept sold to Missouri voters.

The first exception came as part of the state law. The Admiral in St. Louis was exempted because it has no capacity to travel. Harrah's riverboat in Kansas City floats in a moat. In St. Charles, the company that operates the excursion riverboat later added the dockside casino on a barge.

No doubt safety concerns must play into the equation. The Corps of Engineers conducted an on-site inspection of the Boyd site in Cape Girardeau about a week ago. Both Boyd and city officials are awaiting the Corps' determination. If the Corps says a boat can't travel the Mississippi River safely from Cape Girardeau, then the Boyds may have no choice but to propose a dockside operation.

But we have to remember that safety concerns were downplayed during the two local elections.

The first draft of the Boyd's development plan is waiting on the Corps report. City officials hope to have the document by the end of the month so final negotiations can proceed.

Earlier this year, Boyd Gaming officials predicted the $51 million gambling development would be open by January.

We're glad to see the operation in Caruthersville will be an excursion riverboat. Aztar is hoping for an April 13 start, pending final approval from the Gaming Commission.

When Illinois lawmakers legalized waterway wagering, they mandated that boats must cruise. Illinois officials have said the riverboat experience is more than just gambling. They point to the opportunity for a river excursion and land-based entertainment at docking facilities. It's this notion that Missouri voters approved.

Some Illinois operators are now calling for an amendment to erase the travel mandates. They feel the cruise requirement places them at an unfair advantage against dockside operations in both Missouri and Iowa. There's little doubt cruising adds expense, such as fuel and insurance. But that's not the concept sold to Missouri or Illinois voters.

The trend of dockside casinos rests more with the Missouri Gaming Commission than the individual companies. Obviously, the gaming firms are going to propose the most cost-effective operations. The state should discourage future dockside operations, unless there are overwhelming safety concerns.