Admissions to Isle Casino Cape Girardeau rose again in March, generating almost $449,000 for the city, a revenue increase of nearly 20 percent compared to February.

Visitors reported by Isle Casino Cape Girardeau in March were 123,000, compared to 103,022 in February and 82,723 in January. The casino collected an average of $61.88 from each of those patrons, down from $64.25 in February. In January, the casino won about $58.62 per visitor.

The Missouri Gaming Commission released a monthly earnings report Wednesday for all 13 casinos in the state. Visitors are tracked in two categories. "Patrons" refers to the number of people who come through the turnstiles to the casino floor. "Admissions" means the number of two-hour increments documented for each visitor, which is calculated by tracking entries and exits, according to commission officials.

March admissions to Isle Casino Cape Girardeau were 288,867, up from 236,154 in February. In January, admissions were 187,440. Per patron, the admission rate in March was 2.35. In February the rate was 2.29, up from 2.25 in January, suggesting visitors have stayed slightly longer in the establishment on average each month.

Isle Casino Cape Girardeau opened in October, so there are no numbers available for a year-to-year comparison. Looking at establishment visits for the 12 other casinos statewide, patron numbers dropped at all but two facilities, the Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa in Riverside, Mo., and the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Mo., which reported increases of 3 percent and 4 percent, respectively. The biggest decreases were recorded at Isle of Capri Casino Kansas City and Lumière Place Casino and Hotels in St. Louis, both of which showed a decline of 13 percent.

Patrons to Isle of Capri's Lady Luck Casino in Caruthersville, Mo., dropped by 12 percent in March compared to the same month last year, and the casino's revenue declined by 13 percent. Gaming revenue statewide ranged between reported losses of 13 percent to gains of 4 percent. Establishments that showed increases were the Argosy, Mark Twain Casino in La Grange, Mo., and St. Jo Frontier Casino in St. Joseph, Mo.

Isle Casino Cape Girardeau had gross receipts, minus winnings paid, of $7.6 million in March from its table games and slot machines, up 15 percent from February. Of the $71,687,913 wagered on slot machines, the casino won $6,712,977 before taxes. Players risked $4,122,202 on table games such as poker and roulette, and the casino kept $897,848 before taxes.

The casino paid 21 percent, approximately $1.6 million, of its winnings in taxes and paid $577,734 in admission fees to the state. In February, $1.39 million in taxes were paid, along with $472,308 in admission fees.

Missouri law requires casinos pay a $2-per-person admission fee to state and local governments per two-hour period of time spent in the facility, so a person who stays four hours counts as two admissions.

Ten percent of the total state taxes and half of the admission fees paid by the casino -- about $448,694 total -- will go to the city of Cape Girardeau. In January, taxes and fees generated $375,000 for the city.

Monthly gaming reports are released on the 10th of every month and are available at mgc.dps.mo.gov/nav_financials.html.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.