THE PUBLIC MIND: DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP! RIVERBOAT GAMBLING MIGHT NOT SINK IN CAPE GIRARDEAU

To the Editor:

Thank you to everyone who gave their support to the riverboat proposition. You are to be congratulated for your efforts and commended on your concern for the future of Cape Girardeau. I would also like to salute the members of the opposition for their determination and perseverance. It is not necessary for me to agree with what you say for me to adamantly support and defend your right to say it; such is the nature of debate in a free society.

Don't Give Up the Ship! It's been said that out of every adversity comes an equal or greater opportunity. This is adage held true on the evening of June 8. At what was hoped to have been a victory celebration, as local riverboat advocates gathered to bid farewell to the Boyd Group and conduct the campaign's postmortem examination, an interesting phenomenon occurred. It became obvious to everyone present that "It ain't over 'til it's over." Observing that both the Blue Law and the Show Me Center were defeated on the first ballot, a consensus of opinion developed that a second effort, emanating from the grass roots, must be launched.

"The Yes Group" has been formed by Cape Girardeau as an association for the purpose of starting an initiative petition to place the issue back on the ballot Nov. 2, 1993, and to insure its passage. Funds are being donated to the group by citizens that see the opportunity offered by the riverboat project. As an optimist looks at a glass as half full rather than half empty, The Yes Group views the narrow margin of votes on the first ballot not as a loss, but more as a "near win." An issue of this magnitude is far too important to be so easily abandoned.

The Yes Group's ultimate objective is not just a riverboat tethered by a rope tied to a wooden stake that has been temporarily stuck in our levee. The development's vision includes making it the very best, the model riverfront development in the Midwest, with a land-based development that will be the envy of other river towns, one that will endure even if the boat leaves.

As the benchmark to which all other cities are measured, Cape Girardeau can become the "Showcase City" of the Show Me State. This can be accomplished by: 1) Putting the proposition on the Nov. 2 ballot. 2) Making sure enough voters go to the polls to insure passage. 3) Negotiating a clear, concise, mutually beneficial contract with the chosen licensee. 4) Establishing a commission to monitor the operation and see that the distribution of tax revenues are issued in the most prudent fashion.

We owe it to ourselves, our surrounding area, and to our posterity to make Cape Girardeau the very best it can be; that is, the city with the best schools, the highest paying jobs, the best shopping district(s), the best restaurants, motels and convention facilities, the best neighborhoods, hospitals, homes and industry in the region, the best city government and staff and yes, the best churches. The Yes Group is looking for hard working citizens to join in the effort for change. They are looking for people who want to get involved and make a difference.

"The Future Ain't What It Use to Be," observed a famous baseball coach. The loss of 60 local jobs as a result of Central Hardware's announcement to close drives home the urgency of this project. We need the hope of new jobs on the horizon for these people in addition to those who lost their jobs at Exchange Bank and the many recent business closings and layoffs as well as others yet to be announced.

What happened? The reason why the measure didn't pass on the first ballot has been a hot topic of conversation lately. The consensus of opinion seems to be voter overconfidence. Upon hearing the radio broadcast the day of the election that the measure was easily expected to pass, as it had in 13 other Missouri cities, "they stayed home in droves." Disappointment from the surrounding area was vocalized immediately. The mayor of Cairo accused us of being selfish, in that we willingly take their retail dollars, but deny them of precious employment opportunities. Even officials from Caruthersville, a town that passed the measure by a three-to-one margin on the same day, expressed surprise and dismay.

What's your vote worth? Well, if you didn't vote on June 8, it's enough to make you sick. If you were one of those people who wanted the measure to pass but didn't bother to vote, listen to this: Given the $774.2 million economic impact over the next few years calculated by Dr. Fox, SEMO Economics professor, and 567 votes needed to pass the measure, each missing vote cost us $1.4 million. So, the next time you think your vote doesn't count, think again!

What can you do? 1) Get involved by signing the petition to place the issue on the November ballot before the Monday, June 21 deadline. 2) Learn the facts so you can understand them and explain them to your friends, neighbors and relatives. 3) Vote "yes" on Nov. 2.

David Knight

Cape Girardeau