Missouri Casino Execs Find Support
MISSOURI – As reported by the Kansas City Star: "Missouri casino executives spent much of Wednesday collecting pats on the back from mayors of riverboat gambling communities.
"'It's pretty hard not to say great things about our partner, Harrah's,'said North Kansas City Mayor Gene Bruns at the annual meeting of the newly renamed Missouri Gaming Association, held at Harrah's North Kansas City Casino and Hotel.
"Thanks to casino tax dollars, said Bruns, his 4.3-square-mile community 'has virtually reinvented ourselves' with a long list of civic improvements ranging from a $15 million community center to new police and fire equipment.
"Statewide, the association noted in its annual state of the industry report, casinos had record revenues of $1.5 billion in 2005 and a record $414 million in Missouri taxes paid, including $271 million for public education.
"…Earlier in the day, St. Joseph Mayor David J. Jones urged the Missouri Gaming Commission to relicense Terrible's Casino in his city, bought last year by Herbst Gaming Inc., a subsidiary of privately held, Nevada-based Terrible Herbst Oil Co.
"…When no one testified against the casino at the Wednesday morning session held in Riverside's new City Hall — also built with gambling tax dollars — the Gaming Commission voted unanimously to relicense both the St. Joseph casino and the Herbst-owned Terrible's Casino in LaGrange…"
2006-01-29
