SierraScape October - November 2009
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No To The Casino Complex–Yes To Common Sense Progress
by Gloria Broderick
Calendars and Merchandise Committee Chair
The Common Sense Coalition supports economic development in North St. Louis County. The Riverview Casino project is simply the wrong development in the wrong place! We oppose rezoning the property on Columbia Bottom Road because the request to rezone the property on Columbia Bottom Road is premature...rezoning the property is "putting the cart before the horse."
The developers have not applied for a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Corps of Engineers has not conducted a Comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement.
A comprehensive environmental impact statement will show that the adverse impacts of the proposed development far outweigh any benefits of the development.
The proposed development would have expensive and irreversible negative impacts on the community and the environment including:
- Undermining $25 million of investment in the adjacent Columbia Bottom Conservation Area at the confluence of the two greatest rivers in North America, the Missouri and the Mississippi.
- Eliminating agricultural lands and wetlands in the floodway that absorb floodwaters and provide habitat for millions of migratory waterfowl, eagles, and other wildlife.
- Costing all taxpayers millions because the area currently has no sewer service, no stormwater service, no public transportation, insufficient roads and public services for development.
- Costing all taxpayers millions more as they pay for increased MSD stormwater charges, police, emergency, and fire service, road maintenance and social services.
- Conflicting with the adjacent land uses including the Great River Road bicycle route.
- Increasing air, light, and noise pollution.
- Increasing water pollution upstream from our drinking water intake.
The casino "benefits" are bogus:
- No significant new net revenue because of the increased costs of public services supporting the development. Any increased revenue would be offset by moving current sources of revenue as the casino cannibalizes other operations.
- No new net quality jobs. Promised new jobs would simply be a transfer of jobs from existing casinos or would be taken by employees of existing casinos; minimum wage jobs do little to support families and communities.
- Local businesses suffer when casinos come to an area – particularly small businesses.
Common Sense Calls for a Smarter Solution
The Columbia Bottom area should be developed in accordance with the recommendations of the Spanish Lake Community Area, as approved by the St. Louis County Council in 1999 at which time the County's Comprehensive General Plan also was amended to include the area study.
Increasing jobs is important for the health of our economy. This is the wrong location for this casino development. Instead, develop this land to build on the natural beauty of the area and to support the growing number of visitors to this unique natural area at the confluence of our great rivers, but with fewer negative impacts.
The Common Sense Coalition supports economic development in North St. Louis County. The Riverview Casino project is simply the wrong development in the wrong place!
For Information or to join the Common Sense Coalition contact Brian Underwood at (314) 520-3656 or Dora R. Gianoulakis at (314) 741-8425.