PORT WOULD SEEK SECOND GAMBLING VOTE

SCOTT CITY - If Casino Magic requests it, the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is willing to ask the Scott County Commission to give voters another chance to decide on whether to allow riverboat gaming in the county.

"It's really their call. We're here if they want to do something," said Dan Overbey, executive director of the port authority.

On Oct. 11 the port announced it had signed an option to lease with Casino Magic to use about 25 acres for a riverboat gaming development. According to the agreement, the company had several weeks to exercise its option if voters approved gaming on Nov. 2.

But the agreement called for an extension of the option through April, if voters rejected the issue. Last Tuesday, Scott County voters turned down gaming by a margin of 745 votes.

Overbey said he is unsure what Casino Magic will do, but is looking forward to hearing from the company after its board of directors assesses the situation.

Port Commissioner Morty Potashnick from Sikeston, said Tuesday night that he is hopeful Casino Magic will try for passage again in April. He compared riverboat gaming's potential at the port authority to a quarter-cent, four year sales tax approved by voters in 1985 that provided $7 million for capital improvements.

Mysie Keene of Jackson, chairman of the board of commissioners, agrees with Potashnick that a gaming boat will provide the port authority with revenue it needs to make the kind of capital improvements that will attract other large industries to the port.

Said Keene: "I see it (gaming) as a boost for the port and the whole area. The jobs it will bring and sales taxes are all good things. I also like Casino Magic's approach with the idea of making a resort community with an R.V. park, golf course and entertainment center. They would make a tremendous use of the Cape airport flying in tours, which would be a boom to Cape Girardeau because they have trouble keeping their passenger count up."

At Monday's meeting of the port board, Keene said they will be discussing the vote. In particular, Keene said she wanted to get opinions from the Scott County port commissioners because they were active in the campaign, not the board as a whole.

"I would hope they (Casino Magic) come back and try again," added Keene. If they don't, we will have to explore other options to increase our revenue. But ultimately, the decision rests with the Scott County Commission and whether they want to put it on the ballot again."

Scott County Presiding Commissioner Durward Dover said the commission has not discussed whether to have another vote, and said they would seriously consider any request from the port authority to submit the issue to voters again.

"We'll talk about it if they make the request. This was a port project, start to finish. They sent us a letter asking us to put it on the ballot, which we did," said Dover.

"When there is an issue of great interest on both sides, I think it is important to let people put their opinion on the ballot. That's how democracy works," added Dover. "While I am disappointed it was defeated, it is my responsibility to support the decision of a majority of people, whatever that is."

Dover said he viewed gaming at the port as an economic development tool that would enable the port to develop much quicker.

The presiding commissioner acknowledged that many people in the county opposed the proposal and said it is too early to determine whether the commission would vote to send the issue back to voters.

"We'll talk about it if they make the request," said Dover.

If the commission does not put the matter to a vote, it can be submitted to voters through a petition process, as was done in Cape Girardeau to get a second vote on the question.

"I am not a gambler or a drinker, but it is legal," said Dover. "Churches have bingo games, the lottery is going strong, we rub elbows with it every day," said Dover. "I'm not against what the laws are. Sometimes I disagree with them, but that has nothing to do with it. The majority of people still rule."

Meanwhile at the port authority, it's business as usual, according to Overbey. "We still have a lot of work to do and have several leases and prospects we are working with. We also have $2 million worth of projects to be partially funded by an EDA grant we will be getting started within the next two years, as well as the extension of Nash Road," said Overbey.

He added that while several board members from Scott County were active in the campaign, staff at the port was "busy with other things," and not directly involved in the effort to win voter approval.