LETTERS: CASINO RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE LIFTED

Dear Editor:

The action by the Missouri Gaming Commission to abolish the two-hour boarding times on riverboat casinos will benefit 23 million guests who visit the boats for entertainment and will generate additional state and local tax revenue.

The action will not turn Missouri into a Las Vegas-style gambling center as some opponents charge. Nor will it substantially increase the frequency of casino visits or significantly increase the time guests spend gaming. In fact, the continuous boarding will only slightly increase the gambling industry's business level.

So why is the Missouri Riverboat Gaming Association supporting elimination of boarding times?

-- The elimination will improve the experience for guests, who tell us the most frustrating part of their visit is waiting to be served.

With the current boarding schedule, guests are forced to wait in long lines to get into the casinos, particularly on holidays and weekends. When everyone comes in at once, customers wait to find a blackjack or craps table, wait to exchange cash for tokens or redeem gaming coupons, and wait in long lines for beverages.

-- The $500 loss limit can be managed better with continuous boarding.

By eliminating long lines and big crowds at the entrances, we can better monitor individuals who attempt to circumvent the $500 limit by getting more than one boarding card. In addition, security officers can do a more effective job of weeding out intoxicated guests and under-age individuals who attempt to enter casinos. Large crowds caused by boarding schedules make this responsibility more difficult than a more gradual increase, which would occur with continuous boarding.

-- Continuous boarding will increase admission fees and make Missouri casinos more competitive in attracting tourists. Expanded admission fees and tourism means an estimated $17 to $22 million for state and local governments.

Missouri faces stiff competition for tourist dollars from nearby states such as Illinois, Kansas and Iowa where continuous boarding is allowed.

In a continuous boarding environment, Missouri estimates that an additional $17 million in admission fees would be collected. The admission fees help cities make necessary public improvements. These fees are also used by the state for veterans programs, early childhood education, scholarships and the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Admission fees will increase because the fees are payable at fixed intervals for two hours, not just at the time of admission. In addition to an initial admission fee, subsequent payments of $2 are made when a guest stays past the beginning of a two-hour gaming session. The collection of an admission fee at the beginning of each two-hour cruise period will be assured because there are both entry and exit turnstiles.

The turnstiles are read the end of every gaming session to determine how many customers entered versus how many exited to determine how many remain in the gaming area for the next session. Gaming companies pay this stayover fee for each person who remains and net admission revenues rise because guests may enter at their convenience.

Restrictive boarding is a holdover from the days when cruising and non-cruising casinos were in operation. Today, all 10 Missouri riverboat casinos are permanently docked and restricted boarding times are no long needed.

George Stadler

Vice president and general manager of Aztar Casino

Caruthersville