urbanSTL

I am not sure where exactly the casino is being built. In regrads to the money generated from this I wish some funding would going into building bridges over River Des Peres to connect the Germania and Carondelet exits from I-55. I think it would make it so much easier. I am not ever sure if that would be the closet ramp to the River City considering I still don't really even know where it will be at.

The Casino will be located on the south side of River Des Peres right at the Mississippi. The road to get to the new Casino will be an extension of Carondelet Blvd, it currently dead ends into Alabama Ave but will eventually continue east along River Des Peres ending at the Mississippi river. The state is funding road improvements at both the Carondelet Blvd and Germania exits from Hwy 55 to facilitate the increased traffic.

bpe235 wrote:The casino is being "cheapened" because of all the non casino stuff Pinnacle agree to/ is being forced to build is much more expensive than originally planned.

Any environmental remediation issues involved? I would think this site would have a few...

bpe235 wrote:The casino is being "cheapened" because of all the non casino stuff Pinnacle agree to/ is being forced to build is much more expensive than originally planned.

What else is planned to be built??

^ Oh nothing much. Just:

-An Aquatic Center

-280,000 square-foot retail center

-Indoor Ice Rink

-Multiplex Movie Theater

-Boutique Bowling Alley

-Public Park

-Athletic Fields

-Pedestrian/biking path

Geesh - if this was Chicago there would be TWO ice rinks and and double the retail space. How disappointing.



WARNING: sarcasm may be present in this post.

Well this sounds like good news...



Pinnacle to add $150 million investment in Lemay casino project



Pinnacle Entertainment will up its original $300 million investment in the River City Casino and Hotel another $150 million, for a total of $450 million.

Pinnacle spokesman Mack Bradley said the proposal to up the investment and revise the construction schedule into two phases was made Nov. 8 to the St. Louis County Port Authority....



http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.com/ar ... ay.ii1.txt

Map of the River City Casino development:







Source

I heard from a bar owner on South Broadway (in the City) that the Pinnacle project is partially located in the City of St. Louis, and thus will be splitting tax revenue between the County and the City.



To me, it looks like Pinnacle is all-County. Anyone else heard this?

Matt Drops The H wrote:I heard from a bar owner on South Broadway (in the City) that the Pinnacle project is partially located in the City of St. Louis, and thus will be splitting tax revenue between the County and the City.



To me, it looks like Pinnacle is all-County. Anyone else heard this?

I haven't heard of this, isn't the River Des Peres suppose to be the boundary for the county and city?



Looking at map, it looks to be as if this project is in the county only.

In some places where rivers change course or just shift slightly, the boundaries stay stationary - just a thought.

The City Limits are literally on River Des Peres at that point.The only portion of the project that is located in the city is the entrance road that cuts through the Federal property along River Des Peres. The actual casino site and all related development is wholly in St. Louis County. No tax for the city.

Heh, you know when the wind is blowing the right way on the wrong day, that casino isn't going to smell too good.



Yes, I have been by the treatment plant numerous times, and it doesn't always smell, but I have also been by it when it didn't smell very good.

Seems like a horrible location for a casino. Really, what kind of traffic do they expect to draw?

^Ne'er-do-well parents that dump their kids off at the various other entertainment and then gamble all day?

Lemay, Wellston, and the entire City of St. Louis are federal empowerment zones, correct?



Lemay? Really?



I realize it's significantly working class/poor--but doesn't Wellston seem more in need of a revenue boost? Is it because it's not along any rivers that Wellston got shafted?



Keep in mind I doubt the efficacy of casino-based redevelopment in the first place, but I do find the Lemay location a bit surprising. I do think Pinnacle will cannibalize its own customer base between the two casinos--i.e., many of the South St. Louisans who might otherwise go to Lumiere.

A casino in Wellston is not legal. Casinos have to be within 1000 ft. of the main channel of the Mississippi or Missouri rivers in Missouri.



This casino I see as being for just your general old lady gamers. The downtown is meant to draw people in from all over the place. That's how I see it, at least.

How much of unincorporated St. Louis county is actually along the Mississippi or Missouri rivers? I believe they were rebuffed from a location further south because it was too close to Jefferson Barracks. The other usable portion of the county river frontage is north of Chain of Rocks and they would be competing with Alton. If memory serves me right, most of the Missouri river flows through already incorporated county meaning tax dollars would be shared.

MattnSTL wrote:A casino in Wellston is not legal. Casinos have to be within 1000 ft. of the main channel of the Mississippi or Missouri rivers in Missouri.



This casino I see as being for just your general old lady gamers. The downtown is meant to draw people in from all over the place. That's how I see it, at least.

Yes, I think you are right, but I suspect Pinnacle has more plans in store for the Lemay site. I could see an outlet mall of some sort (do we know what kind of retail is going into this first phase?) to help draw in busloads of blue-hairs from Downstate Illinois and outstate Missouri for a day of gambling and spending their social security checks. Both casinos will be destinations, but for different target markets. I think it all depends on whether they can get the loss limit removed. If so, then Lumiere Place will be a much more upscale destination targetting well-heeled vacationers and conventioneers. If not, I think they will cannibalize each other.

As far as casino locations go, are ANY of them in St Louis good?! Maybe downtown, but the other casino sites here seem rather isolated to me.



And for the casino's target market, I think you will be surprised.



Even though the Prez, Queen and Harrahs are much closer to me, when I gamble I head out to St Charles. If I'm going to blow away money, I will do it in a casino that has a wide variety of gaming options, where the cig smoke doesn't choke you, and where I don't have to park my car in a lot with watchtowers. Each casino offers something to different to appeal to different crowds.



And like Matt and jblues have noted, I expect most of the Lemay casinos visitors to be from the southern part of the region. Downtown will still get visitors from all over, not to mention tourists, convention attendees, drunks after the game, etc.



I don't think the casinos will cannibalize each other. The Prez and Queen operate across from another and St Charles and Harrahs are fairly close too. The only casino that might become endangered is the President. Something tells me it will be scrapped not long after Lumiere opens. And not a moment sooner.

TIABstl wrote:The only casino that might become endangered is the President. Something tells me it will be scrapped not long after Lumiere opens. And not a moment sooner.

^Then what will Pinnacle do with the gambling license?

Build a new boat.