SCOTT CITY RESIDENTS GET PITCHES ON GAMBLING

SCOTT CITY -- With the riverboat gambling vote in Scott City less than a week away, residents got the opportunity Tuesday night to see what may be in store for the community if the initiative passes.

Representatives of three casino-based firms -- Lady Luck of Las Vegas, Royal Casino Group Inc. of Calabasas, Calif., and Eagle Gaming Ltd. of Colorado -- told residents of the bounty that could be theirs if they vote yes on Tuesday.

After the presentations, the approximately 70 people who attended were given an opportunity to ask some questions.

Norman Hughes told the gambling representatives that he had lived in Scott City for only a year and a half, but was concerned about the issue.

"The number of projected jobs you've all talked about is great," he said. "But are you ready to make a very solid commitment to us that those jobs will be available to Scott City first?"

Jon F. Elliott, president and chief executive officer for the Royal Casino Group, said people of Scott City would absolutely be considered first when it came to hiring. Royal is proposing a $32.5 million facility that would create about 600 jobs.

"Not all of those jobs are dealing blackjack on a boat," said Elliott. "There will be jobs in the hotel, jobs in the visitor center, jobs on the golf course -- not to mention construction jobs."

Gary Heisel, project manager of the plan that Lady Luck has proposed in Scott City, said 90 percent of the company's Jefferson County, Mo., project's employees are local.

"We consider local to be within a 40-mile radius," said Heisel. "Employing people in the community we operate out of is very important to us."

Lady Luck is proposing a $63.2 million project, which would create about 1,400 jobs and generate approximately $3 million per year in tax revenues and fees for Scott City.

The gambling representatives said that Southeast Missouri can support two boats, even in such close proximity as Cape Girardeau and Scott City.

"When people come and visit the Boyd boat, they will naturally be drawn to the Scott City boat," said Elliott. "Families will go on trips and try their luck at both boats before going home."

Jack Johnson, a former resident of Scott City who now operates a small business in the city, said the Scott City of his childhood was a prosperous community and deserves to be that way again.

"After you leave this community, it just breaks your heart to come back and watch it die on the vine like this," he said. "I'm for anything which would bring new life to this area."

Residents also asked questions about how Scott City intends to annex the 26-acre plot at the Southeast Missouri Regional Port, which all the gambling firms are eyeballing as an ideal spot to set up shop.

Scott City Mayor Larry Forhan never directly answered the question, but said the city has "no desires on the (port authority) -- absolutely none."

Forhan said: "If the port wishes to be annexed, we will work with them. But we have absolutely no design on the port. I keep saying that, but the word doesn't get out, for whatever reason."

He offered no alternative solutions for bringing riverboat gambling to Scott City if the port authority does not work with Scott City as he intends. Instead, Forhan rallied the city to unite on the issue of riverboat gambling.

"Only the people of Scott City will decide whether or not we have riverboat gambling in this community when they go to the polls next Tuesday," said Forhan. "We as citizens of Scott City must unite together after the vote. There must be no bitterness or hatred whether the matter passes or fails.

"About two months ago, as we embarked on this voyage to the future Scott City, I said that I did not want to divide this city with finger-pointing," said Forhan. "We cannot be affected by rumors and name-calling."