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Columbia Bottom Casino Plans Still Face Obstacles
Although the St. Louis County Council has approved rezoning for a casino in the Columbia Bottom area, the development is still a long way from reality.
The St. Louis County Council voted last week to rezone the land adjacent to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at the Confluence that would allow North County Development LLC to construct a casino, convention center, theater, hotel, sports bar, 18-hole golf course and more than 8,000 parking spaces.
The Missouri Coalition for the Environment and the Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club strongly oppose this decision, along with the Spoanish Lake Community Association.
Some advocates spoke in behalf of the casino complex including Mayor Robert Lowery who cited the jobs it would bring to North County. Mark Behlmann, Hazelwood School Board president, envisioned increased tax revenues for the school district.
Real economic development for the long-term health of our community would preserve the national treasure of the Missouri-Mississippi confluence, environmentalist argued. It would promote this area as a tourist attraction for people to visit from all over the nation. It would not squander $25 million of Missouri taxes that have been used to develop the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.
The casino complex proposal, if completed, would harm plant and animal life in the confluence, say the opponents. Light and noise pollution would disturb wildlife, pesticides would damage the ecosystem and increased runoff would negatively affect the City of St. Louis’ drinking water supplies. Flooding in the area would become more prevalent.
The environmentalists content we don’t know all the details of what would happen because the St. Louis County Council approved the rezoning without any environmental study.
The Council Members who voted for the casino rezoning were Michael O’Mara from North County District 4, Hazel Erby from District 1, Steven Stenger from District 6, and Kathleen Burkett from District 2.
Gregory Quinn, District 7 and Barbara Fraser, District 5 voted against the rezoning and Colleen Wassinger, from District 3, was absent.
The Missouri Coalition for the Environment and the Missouri chapter of the Sierra Club will continue to oppose this development plan.
However, the fact that another state casino license is still needed before the casino could be built, may be a bigger factor against it. Currently only 13 casinos are allowed statewide and that 13th one will open in 2010 in Lemay. An existing casino would have to close or state law changed.
