First woman to head state gaming commission, new statistics released

For the first time in the 30-year history of the Missouri Gaming Commission, the panel has a woman chairperson.

Jan Zimmerman was named July 17 to lead the five-member commission, whose role is to oversee the state's 13 riverboat gaming casinos, including Century Casino Cape Girardeau, as well as charitable bingo and fantasy leagues support in Missouri.

Zimmerman served for a decade as police chief of Raymore, Missouri, a Kansas City suburb.

MGC's executive director is Peggy Richardson.

Gaming statistics

According to fiscal 2024 year-to-date statistics supplied to the commission as of July 31, Century Casino Cape Girardeau has had 94,450 admissions, a decline of 0.86% from last year's figure of 95,268.

The casino's small drop is roughly half the 1.63% year-to-date decline of all 13 state casinos taken as a group, from last year's 2,599,492 admissions to this year's 2,557,184.

Of note

Century Casino Cape Girardeau anticipates its $26 million, six-story, 69-room downtown hotel at 777 N. Main St. will be completed sometime in the first half of 2024,

Jackson's Penzel Construction is general contractor for the project.

Groundbreaking was held May 26, 2022.