When Players Riverboat Casino came around the bend in February 1993, it brought 800 jobs to Metropolis and the fulfillment of the first of three promises by Merv Griffin to Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar.

"All three promises have been fulfilled," Griffin triumphantly announced last weekend during grand-opening ceremonies for Players' $1.5 million Merv Griffin Theater."

When Griffin first spoke with Edgar about a riverboat gambling casino complex along the Ohio River, he promised a riverboat, hotel and theater with first-rate entertainment.

The boat came first. The Players Riverboat Hotel, an L-shaped building with 120 guest rooms and suites, opened last February. The theater, which currently features "Hitmakers," a musical production created by Opryland Productions Group of Nashville and comedian Lonnie Shorr, opened June 26.

The "Hitmakers Revue" is presented Tuesdays through Sundays at 3:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Additional information and reservations are available by calling 1-800-935-7700.

"Promises were made and promises were kept," said Griffin, who attended the grand opening and watched the show from the 350-seat theater's balcony.

Players International, which also has a riverboat at Lake Charles, La., has announced plans for a casino-hotel-theater project at Mesquite, Nev., 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas.,

The initial Mesquite operation will include a 500-room hotel, 30,000-square-foot casino, full health spa and 400-seat theater similar to the Merv Griffin Theater in Metropolis.

Players has provided a real economic boost to Metropolis.

"Metropolis was asleep before Players came to town," said Rick Abell, president of the city's Chamber of Commerce. "The town is alive now."

Since opening in spring 1993, Players Riverboat Casino has added more than 800 jobs with average wages ranging from $7 to $15 per hour. Ninety seven percent of the jobs are full-time, and 95 percent are filled by employees from the Southern Illinois and Paducah, Ky., region.

Twenty-seven new businesses, including restaurants, hotels and retail outlets, have been registered with the area Chamber of Commerce.

"We have many new businesses, a strong tax base and employment opportunities for current and future generations," said Abell.

The city will receive about $4.5 million in annual tax revenue this year, while Illinois will receive about $11 million.

A June report from the Illinois Gaming Board shows that Metropolis continues to be a draw for gambling enthusiasts. More than 105,200 admissions to the riverboat casino were recorded in June.

That tabulates into an average of 3,415 people a day, almost half of the city's 7,000 population.

"We've provided a nucleus for some serious developers," said David Fishman, vice chairman of Players International. "We're drawing 1.5 million people a year to the riverfront, and there is plenty of land available for development."

Nine riverboat casino developments throughout Illinois are attracting thousands of visitors daily.

The Casino Queen, on the Mississippi River at East St. Louis, drew 340,700 visitors in June, for a daily average of 7,463 to top the list. Second on the list was Empress Casino at Joliet, with 266,000 visitors, for a 7,407 daily average. The Empress is one of two casino operations at Joliet. The Harrah Northern Star topped 217,000 visitors in June, for a daily average of 5,496.

Other Illinois operations and June attendance figures: Alton Bell II, Alton, 187,323; Par-A-Dice, East Peoria, 177,783; Casino Rock Island, 71,401; Silver Eagle, Jo Daviess, 55,750; and Hollywood Casino, Aurora, 218,034.

More than 19,000 jobs have been created or saved in rural areas this fiscal year through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Administration Business and Industry Program.

Under the program, the RDA works with banks to make financing available to new or expanding businesses in rural areas.

Nationally, RDA has invested $114,942,250 for 81 loans during this fiscal year, which started in October, said RDA acting administrator Wilbur T. Peer. Another $235 million remains available for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

RDA has invested $3.6 million in Missouri this fiscal year to create 92 jobs.

Under the business and industry program, guaranteed loans are available for startup purchase of a business, working capital and conversion from one type of business to another, expansion and modernization.

The program is administered at local levels by district Farmers Home Administration offices.

"We recently completed a pre-construction conference for some grant funds for the New Madrid Port Authority," said David M. Pullen of the district FmHA office at Sikeston.

A barge-loading dock is planned at the New Madrid Port, which will result in 35 to 50 new jobs at the Lewis Dreyfus Co. Rice Mill, which will use the new facility.

Construction of the new facility is expected to get under way this month.

"We have had good success with the program in past years," said Pullen. "We helped Starks Manufacturing get started at Charleston. Starks manufactures air-conditioning tubing for automobiles.

"We're looking for situations to produce or save new jobs," said Pullen.

The program is one of the least costly to taxpayers. Since the federal government only guarantees the loan, there is no direct outlay of federal money unless there is a loss on the loan.

The federal guarantee is 100 percent on loans of under $2 million, 80 percent on loans of $2 million to $4 million, and 70 percent on loans of $5 million to $10 million.

Further information is available at the FmHA district office at Sikeston. Call 314-471-4808.

Fleet Mortgage Corp., headquartered in Columbia, S.C., has opened an office at 237 N. Ellis.

John H. Cochran III is loan officer of the local branch, which provides service in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Bollinger County, northern Scott and southern Perry counties.

Fleet Mortgage is the residential lending division of Fleet National Bank, headquartered in Providence, R.I.

Blair Industries Inc. of Scott City has expanded and added new equipment and employees.

The company recently added a new five-color, in-line printer for silk screening and added 5,000 square feet to its operation.

The company produces flexible vinyl packaging for audio and video tapes for such notable companies as Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM, Walt Disney, MGM-UA Communications and DuPont.

The firm also produces cosmetic cases.

Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport flight boardings continue to increase.

June boardings were 563, up 42 from the record total of 521 in May.

Boardings topped the 500 mark in April, at 510, which was the highest total in more than four years.

More than 100 boardings were reported during the first week of July.]

Retail sales nationally have rebounded from two straight monthly declines.

Led by durable goods, including cars and building materials, sales rose 0.6 percent in June.

The U.S. Commerce Department said sales dropped 0.4 percent in May and 1 percent in April.

Sales totaled $183.8 billion in June, up from $182.7 billion a month earlier. For the second quarter of this year, sales were 6.8 percent higher than the same three-month period a year ago.

Sales are also up in Cape Girardeau County. A recent sales tax check received by the county indicates sales were up more than 5 percent for the month and 10.4 percent for the year. Sales in 1993 were up 7 percent over 1992.

Missouri's farmers' markets are in full swing.

More than 55 markets featuring tables of locally-grown fruits and vegetables can be found throughout the state.

Two markets are held in Cape Girardeau each week. A Thursday market operates on the parking lot in front of Plaza Galleria, 2001 Independence. A downtown market is held at the Downtown Pavilion on South Main Street.

A complete list of farmers' markets, roadside stands or pick-your-own operations is available through the local Extension office, or by writing: Missouri Department of Agriculture, Market Development Division, horticulture marketing specialist, P.O. Box 630, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102.