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Casino Queen Against East St. Louis Mayor's Plan

EAST ST. LOUIS, Missouri – As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "East St. Louis Mayor Carl E. Officer wants to wrap various city debts into one low-interest payment and use the freed-up money to build and refurbish firehouses.

"His plan, though, is meeting with strong resistance from the city's largest taxpayer, the Casino Queen, which is banking on up to $11 million from the city to help finance a new gaming facility. The mayor's plan would, in essence, kill the agreement that the city approved in April with the Casino Queen.

"Jeff Watson, the attorney for the Casino Queen, said the expansion project would not be feasible without the funds already committed by the city. He contends that the city is bound by the ordinance the council approved in April and the Casino Queen has no interest in renegotiating.

"…The Casino Queen ultimately plans to spend $150 million on its new facility to go head-to-head with a $250 million gaming complex that Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. plans to build on Laclede's Landing, just across the river…"

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