Cape projects possible with casino funds

Oct. 30, 2015, marked the third anniversary of the opening of Isle Casino in Cape Girardeau. Our city has received nearly $9 million in additional dollars from the Isle operation to accomplish many projects that were outside the scope of being able to complete with our ordinary general revenue budget. I want to report to our citizens the extent of the projects that have been completed or are in process.

Lyle Randolph and his team at Isle run a very good operation, providing our citizens and visitors much entertainment, many events and outstanding cuisine. The construction enabled the city to revitalize a blighted area, reduce crime and bring into Cape Girardeau many thousands of additional visitors. In addition, Isle Casino has become a great corporate partner, sponsoring many events and participating in our community to improve our quality of life.

Our council, at inception, approved a spending policy for all funds received from this operation. We first elected to put 10 percent into savings, which we call the Legacy Endowment fund. We allocated 20 percent to an Innovation Fund to direct those funds for new innovative purposes that would enhance our city operation and potentially produce savings in our general revenue budget. We committed 3 percent to our adjacent communities of Jackson, Scott City and Cape Girardeau County for their use in identifying unfunded projects. The balance was to be committed to unfunded capital project needs.

Following is a list of the projects that were determined by council and staff as needed and unfunded. This is not an all-inclusive list, but it will give you an overview of the many major projects that would not have been possible without casino funds. Most of these projects have been completed, but some have funds allocated and are in either the planning or construction phase.

• Purchase of the greater Cape Girardeau Business Park
• Infrastructure improvements at the business park
• Streetscape improvements of the TTF downtown Broadway project
• New police station construction (partial payment)
• Public safety radio interoperability project
• New transfer station (partial payment)
• Public safety e-ticketing software
• Traffic management software
• Mobil terminals for fire
• Emergency warning sirens
• Main Street lighting improvements
• Demolition of CVB building and construction of downtown parking lot
• Last Call parking lot off Sprigg Street
• Middle Street parking lot
• River Heritage Museum parking lot
• Parking lot behind Broadway Prescription Shop
• Sidewalk to LaCroix Trail from Kingsway
• LaCroix Trail fitness equipment
• Shawnee Park playground equipment
• Parks registration software
• Arena Park fencing
• Dog park
• Community garden
• Fort D roof improvements
• Cape Youth Tackle scoreboards and bleachers
• Accelerated tree planting and landscaping

Our city continues to receive monthly payments that now amount to $3 million annually. More needed projects will be forthcoming as funds become available. The casino project, as you can see, has enabled us to improve our city and our quality of life beyond any original projections.

Once again, I would like to thank Isle Casino, Lyle Randolph and his team for their support and commitment to our great City of Cape Girardeau.

Harry E. Rediger is the mayor of Cape Girardeau.