^There is another road. Hoffmeister off Broadway around the MSD treatment plant. It is split by railroad tracks, so there can be delays when trains come. The deck on the new overpass over the Ivory yard was recently poured, so the new road should be ready for construction use soon.
For all the doom and gloom around commercial real estate these days, here’s one high-profile project still moving forward: The new River City Casino being built in Lemay.
In its first-quarter earnings report released Friday, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. said that work continues on the $380 million casino. It has completely enclosed the building and is beginning interior construction. The access road to the casino is expected to open to the public on March 28. By the end of March, a little less than half of the project - $160 million worth - was complete, Pinnacle said, and the casino was on track to open in the first quarter of 2010, pending a final OK from the Missouri Gaming Commission, of course.
While Pinnacle and other casino companies have put new projects on hold in the last year due to the weak lending market, it had lined up financing for River City before the market turned south.
This place is about ready to open (I made a delivery there today). It's HUGE. Way bigger than I expected, with really, really big parking lots. The South County crowd will love it. I worry that it's gonna suck a lot of customers away from Lumeire downtown.
Framer wrote:This place is about ready to open (I made a delivery there today). It's HUGE. Way bigger than I expected, with really, really big parking lots. The South County crowd will love it. I worry that it's gonna suck a lot of customers away from Lumeire downtown.
Which is why Khan should put a new Rams Stadium (Edward Jones Field ) in place of the Casino Queen Hotel and Casino.
St Louis is a big market for Casinos, the problem is WE support it more than anyone else.
First off, I'm excited that this place is opening soon, but I'd like to know how the hell St. Louis County gets to rename two St. Louis City streets? Who is the idiotic alderman that gave them the right to do this?
brickandmortar wrote:First off, I'm excited that this place is opening soon, but I'd like to know how the hell St. Louis County gets to rename two St. Louis City streets? Who is the idiotic alderman that gave them the right to do this?
Tsk, Tsk. It was a good trade, I think for the city. The county gave jobs to city workers in the casino in exchange for the right to rename two streets and possibly acquire a city to be named later.
I visited River City over the weekend. It was very nice. I was impressed with complex overall. However, a few things stood out as disappointing to me. For one, the main entrance had one guy checking IDs, with MUCH scrutiny. It was like I was trying to get into the White House or something. The line to get through security was at least 20-30 minutes. Super long line. It was ridiculous! The second disappointment was the "1904 Beer House". I was thinking it would be like a beer hall or something. It was a plush lounge,with girls walking around in tight German outfits. I was expecting Oktoberfest year round at this 'beer house'. Nothing even close to that. It is a dark lounge, with black lights and a nice beer selection. Nothing like I expected, very club like. Other than that, the gaming floor was nice, but pretty similiar to Lumiere. There was also a music club, with a stage. It reminds me of a large version of the one at Ameristar. That place could host some national 'has been' type acts. I didn't check out any of the restaurants. One other thing, as expected, the gaming floor was very smokey. The rest of the casino seemed well venelated. Regarding parking, the lot is huge and there is plenty of parking. I went at night, but the close proximity to the river, provides the opportunity for walks (to contemplate your losses) , at least it appeared that way. Last thing I noticed, is that St. Louis County PD is taking advantage of the casino patrons stupidity. I saw 3 people pulled over just off of the bridge on Lemay Ferry, I believe. I don't know if they were pulling over speeders or drunks. Beware!
I went last night and left rather unimpressed. From the outside it looks like a twin of the Casino Queen.
The development is certainly an improvement over what was there but I was just expecting so much more as this is being billed as Pinnacle's premiere St. Louis property.
Moorlander wrote:this is being billed as Pinnacle's premiere St. Louis property
Do you think that will change once the grand opening push winds down? How could this be its premiere property compared to a downtown casino with 2 hotels, including a Four Seasons? Didn't Lumiere cost almost twice as much?
Moorlander wrote:this is being billed as Pinnacle's premiere St. Louis property
Do you think that will change once the grand opening push winds down? How could this be its premiere property compared to a downtown casino with 2 hotels, including a Four Seasons? Didn't Lumiere cost almost twice as much?
I know! You wouldn't think that corporate would see it that way, with Lumiere having the 4 Seasons Hotel and all. I know a handful of Pinnacle employees that say River City will easily be there #1 St. Louis property. Just look at the numbers, RC beat out LP the very first month.
LP is drawing much more East St. Louis and north St. Louis clientele then they projected.
Overall I think LP is the nicer property and I doubt I'll be back to RC as overall it didn't appeal to me whatsoever.
EDIT: I'm not sure I go along with what I've been told. Lumiere is the better property and will pull from throughout the midwest where as RC is strictly a regional draw.
We are required to invest $75 million in the second phase to be completed within 3 years of RC opening... If we do not complete phase 2, the max amount of liquidated damages that we would have to pay is $20 million.
) in place of the Casino Queen Hotel and Casino. 
