COUNCIL DISCUSSES CASINO FUTURE

THE CITY'S STRATEGY REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE ARGOSY RIVERBOAT CASINO WAS DISCUSSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN CLOSED SESSION MONDAY.

AT THE END OF THE COUNCIL'S PUBLIC MEETING, ARGOSY CASINO MANAGER LANCE GEORGE APPEARED BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND URGED THEM TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE OFFER THEIR PARENT COMPANY, PENN NATIONAL GAMING, HAD MADE TO THE CITY AND TO MISSOURI RIVER HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT:

GEORGE SAYS PENN HAS AGREED TO A NEW DOWNTOWN CASINO AT AN UNDISCLOSED SITE WITH A 100-MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT.

MAYOR BOB SCOTT DISPUTES THE AMOUNT, SAYING MOST OF THAT FIGURE COMES FROM EXISTING OR OTHER SOURCES:
  

MANY OF THE DETAILS OF PENN'S PROPOSAL HAVE NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC, INCLUDING THEIR PROPOSED LOCATION TO BUILD A CASINO.

SCOTT SAYS WHEN PENN AND MRHD STRIKE AN AGREEMENT ON THE CASINO, THE CITY WOULD AGAIN PARTICIPATE, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO MOVE THE CASINO OFF THE RIVER WHEN THE CITY WILL RECEIVE LESS MONEY THAT IT DOES NOW:

COUNCILMAN JOHN FITCH SAYS NO ONE ON THE COUNCIL HAS ANYTHING AGAINST PENN GAMING, BUT THE COUNCIL'S TOP PRIORITY IS TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERSTS OF CITY TAXPAYERS.