Editorial

GAMING PLAN A RELIEF

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Boyd Gaming Corp. has submitted a draft of its development agreement to the city of Cape Girardeau. The document is in a preliminary form, and it still appears that a boat would not be operational here until at least 1997.

For months, all had been silent with the Boyd Gaming Corp. Many area residents had began to wonder if a riverboat would ever come to Cape Girardeau at all.

This development plan is no guarantee, but it certainly is a step in the right direction. It reaffirms Boyd's promise to bring a riverboat to town.

The agreement plan spells out what Boyd will do with improvements to city streets, water mains and sewer lines. It also outlines the company's plans for buildings and parking lots. The site for the project was not pinned down in the draft, but it appears there's plenty of time to make that final decision.

Another key part of the development plan is a timetable for the gaming development in this city. The city staff is now gathering suggestions, comments and proposed changes to the draft for the Boyds. The City Council is expected to vote on a finalized document in July.

Many have breathed a sigh of relief at the arrival of the development plan draft. Cape Girardeau has fought some hard elections to approve riverboat gambling. With an approved development plan, the city may soon see concrete evidence that riverboat gambling is coming to town.