December 5th, 2010 – by Glen Farmer
On Wednesday, the Missouri Gaming Commission granted the 13th and final casino license to Isle Of Capri. The company will establish a $125 million dollar casino in Cape Girardeau with this license.
The license was being battled over by the Komen family and Tropicana, as well as Paragon Gaming.
Gaming regulators in Missouri found in a market study that the Isle of Capri’s gaming center will generate the most jobs. Tax revenue is also estimated to be higher from this casino than the would be competitors.
The casino is expected to house over 1,000 lost machines, 28 table games, multiple restaurants, a lounge, and even a massive event center.
Missouri’s last gaming license became available when Pinnacle Entertainment shut down the President Casino.
Construction is expected to begin early in the upcoming summer. according to Paul Keller, chief development officer for Isle of Capri. Keller stated that Isle’s goal is “to build a showpiece for southest Missouri, enhance the historic downtown area, and bring hundreds of quality jobs to the community.”
The victory afforded by Isle of Capri has also brought out the philanthropic side of the Komen family, as they claimed that, in the event they did not receive the license for the casino, they would sell the 11.8 acres it purchased for the project to the Great Rivers Greenway for future improvement.