Changing Casino Landscape Forces Owners' Hands

With revenue growth slowing in St. Louis' casino market, casino owners are being forced to rethink strategy.

St. Louis’ multibillion-dollar gambling market is the nation’s sixth largest, but growth here is slowing, which reflects the rest of the state and many other regional gambling markets, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.  According to the report, Missouri Gaming Commission figures show that casino revenue in the state over the four most recent fiscal years fluctuated between $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion. The figure for fiscal 2012 was $1.79 billion. Those figures include revenue from St. Charles' Ameristar Casino, which is in the process of being sold to Pinnacle Entertainment—also owners of St. Louis Lumiere Place and Lemays River City casinos—and Maryland Heights' Hollywood Casino. The decline in revenue is forcing casino officials to …

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Ameristar, Local Businesses Ready for Blanchette Bridge Construction

Shutdown of westbound span of the bridge will begin Nov. 2.

St. Charles business owners are ready for the upcoming closure of the westbound span of the Blanchette Bridge and are prepared for a possible impact to sales this winter.  Teresa Wapelhorst got out the Christmas decor and gifts weeks earlier than normal at her shop, Friperie, on South Main Street, just in case people don't make it back across the bridge before the end of the year. "Really, it's weather down here rather than (construction)," that impacts the number of shoppers who come to Christmas Traditions, the annual holiday festival that spans several weeks, Wapelhorst said.  "There's other ways to get here," she said.  The City of St. Charles is anticipating a decline in sales tax and a $2 million decrease in gaming revenue next year …

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St. Charles Expects $2 Million Loss in Revenue from Bridge Construction

Gaming revenue and sales tax are both expected to be lower in November and December and in 2013. Mayor proposes $124.5 million budget for 2013.

Ameristar Sees Decrease in Admissions

The St. Charles casino saw an 8 percent dip in gamblers.

Numbers are dipping for Maryland Heights and St. Charles-based casinos. St. Charles’ Ameristar Casino, according to the Missouri Gaming Commission, indicates the casino saw an 8 percent decrease in admissions—581,063 people were admitted in April 2012 against 632,886 in April 2011. Maryland Heights' Harrah’s Casino, which was recently sold to the same company that owns Alton's Argosy Casino, saw a year-over-year drop in admissions last month as well. The Missouri Gaming Commission indicated 600,357 people were admitted into the casino in April 2012, while April 2011 saw 627,457 admitted. That’s a four percent decrease, according to the commission.

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St. Charles Police Reports Jan. 20-21

Purses, clothing stolen from cars left unlocked during a dance at Duchesne High School last weekend.

Theft During a Dance Someone stole items from four cars parked in Duchesne High School's parking lot during the school's dance on the evening of Jan. 21. All four vehicles were left unlocked. Items stolen from the cars included purses, wallets, clothing, make up bags, shoes, an ipod, phone chargers and ID among other items were stolen from her unlocked vehicle which was parked at Duchesne High School between 5:30 and 10:30 p.m. Jan. 21. Intoxication Stealing Property Damage Death Investigation Fight

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Who's Hiring?

Wanted: Custodian, Early Childhood Teacher, UNIX/Linux Instructor

Here's your weekly roundup of who's hiring in town and in nearby St. Charles County.

Each week, St. Charles Patch brings you a list of businesses seeking to fill positions in town and in nearby communities. Here are six opportunities we found this week: Who’s Hiring: Orchard Farm School District Where: St. Charles Job: Part-time and substitute custodians Description: Custodians will clean classrooms, offices, restrooms, etc., in a school setting. Pay: $10.50 an hour Requirements: Must be available to work evening hours Monday - Friday.  A pre-employment drug screen and FBI fingerprint background check will be required. To Apply: Call 636-250-5245 for information. Who’s Hiring: Rothman Furniture Where: O'Fallon Job: Executive Assistant Description: Maintaining and growing the website, overseeing more than 150​ computer …

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St. Louis Area Casino Revenue Down in August

Missouri Gaming Commission releases monthly revenue reports.

Missouri Gaming Commission and the Illinois Gaming Board released the revenue reports for St. Louis metro area casinos in August.

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Kalen Ponche

4:36 pm on Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Not sure. Have you changed your habits when it comes to visiting casinos? Or do you know people who have?   more ›

St. Louis Area Casino Revenue for July 2011

Missouri Gaming Commission releases monthly revenue reports.

Missouri Gaming Commission and the Illinois Gaming Board released the revenue reports for St. Louis area casinos in July 2011.

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Ameristar Exempted From Smoking Ban?

Writer wonders about a possible smoking ban exemption for Ameristar Casino.

Editor's Note: Letters to the Editor are welcomed by Patch. The opinions expressed in letters are only that of the letter writer and do not represent Patch. The letters solely represent the views of the author and have not been edited other than to check for spelling errors. Dear County Executive Ehlmann, I read online that Councilmen Cronin and Hollander are proposing a smoking ban with an exemption for a single named business, Ameristar Casino. Is such an exemption of a single named business from a public health law legal? A similar exemption was granted to Churchill Downs by the Louisville Metro Council a few year back. A judge later struck down not only the exemption as lacking a rational basis, but the entire law as well since passage…

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Geek Girl's Guide to Gambling

Geek Girl Tries to Find a Steampunk Connection to Roulette

Roulette tables at Ameristar bring entertainment, for awhile.

Gambling seemed like an intuitive leap for a geek. After all, I own plenty of cards at home. OK, they’re for Dominion, Bang, and, because I’m a girl, Lost Cities.  I also own plenty of dice at home. All right, most of them have 20 sides, though in a pinch I can always whip out my iPhone DiceBag app if for some reason I need a four or eight-sider.  Despite this, I failed miserably at gambling with cards. Gambling with dice worked a little better. This week, in the spirit of steampunk, it was time for me to gamble with gears. I was ready to try roulette.  I left my brass goggles and astrolabe necklace at home in favor of a look that wouldn’t get me thrown out as a terrorist. Because I hadn’t seen any roulette tables at Harrah’s, it was time …

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