| Casino Queen | |
|---|---|
| Location | East St. Louis, Illinois |
| Address | 2000 S Front St |
| Opening date | June 23, 1993 |
| Total gaming space | 38,000 sq ft (3,500 m2) |
| Casino type | Riverboat |
| Owner | Gaming and Leisure Properties |
| Operating license holder | Employee-owned management company |
| Coordinates | 38°37′33″N90°10′34″W / 38.62583°N 90.17611°W |
| Website | CasinoQueen.com |
Twenty-five miles north of St. Louis, across the river into Illinois, the Argosy Casino Alton is the area's only true riverboat casino, although it doesn't actually go out onto the river. Opened in 1991 and lacking a hotel and many of the amenities of the more larger, newer casinos, it's the least busiest of the six St. Louis-area casinos. Missouri voters legalized riverboat casinos in 1992, but in 2000, the law was changed to allow continuous boarding, and cruising was no longer required. Many casinos are now built on barges. Proposals For The St. Louis Riverfront In the space of one week of the approval of riverboat gaming in Missouri, there were no less than a half dozen projects proposed for the St. Louis riverfront. The Casino Queen is a riverboat casino located near the Mississippi River in East St. Louis, Illinois, just across the river from downtown St. Louis.It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by an employee-owned management company.
The Casino Queen is a riverboat casino located near the Mississippi River in East St. Louis, Illinois, just across the river from downtown St. Louis. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by an employee-owned management company.
History[edit]
Illinois enacted a riverboat casino law in 1990 authorizing licenses for ten casinos to open around the state.[1] One of the licenses was guaranteed to East St. Louis, in an effort to help the financially troubled city.[2][3] The group that would ultimately open the Casino Queen, led by real estate developer Bill Koman, submitted its proposal to the Illinois Gaming Board in January 1992.[4] With no other proposals before the board, Koman's group was awarded the license in May 1992.[5]
The Casino Queen opened on June 23, 1993.[6] It was viewed positively by most city officials and residents, as the struggling city desperately needed both a revenue source and employment opportunities for its residents.[7] Casino Queen originally operated on a boat called the White Star One.
Construction of a hotel began in 1998.[8] The 157-room hotel, built at a cost of $15 million, opened in January 2000.[9]
Changed regulations led to the casino to be moved inland, but still built above a shallow pit of water, in 2007. The move also allowed the casino to add 10,000 additional square feet of gaming space. Que significa tener poker face. In 2014, the White Star One was auctioned off and sold for $600,000.[10] Casino Queen has generated over $160 million for the city of East St. Louis between 1993 and 2009.[11]
In 2012, Koman and his partners sold the Casino Queen for $170 million to a newly formed Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which would steer the casino's profits into the retirement accounts of participating employees.[12] In 2014, to pay down debt taken on to finance the purchase, the ESOP sold the real estate of the Casino Queen to Gaming and Leisure Properties for $140 million, leasing it back for $14 million per year.[13][14]
In 2020, the casino struck a deal with sports betting provider DraftKings to rebrand the property as DraftKings at Casino Queen.[15] As part of the rebranding, Sevens sports bar will be gutted and re-built as a full sportsbook, and the casino will be integrated into DraftKings' mobile betting app.[15]
Property information[edit]
The casino includes both 1,100 slots and 34 table games in its 38,000 square feet of gaming space.[16] Per Illinois law and unlike neighboring Missouri casinos, it is not open 24 hours a day.[17]
Dining options include: the Market Street Buffet, Prime Steakhouse, Sevens, and Deli & Chips.
Both a hotel and an RV Park are located on the Casino Queen property.
References[edit]
- ^Robert Kelly (February 8, 1990). 'Dice to be rollin' on the river'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Kathleen Best (September 11, 1990). 'East side casino assured: E. St. Louis wins right to riverboat'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Lynn Sweet (July 3, 1990). '10 vie for 5 riverboat gambling licenses'. Chicago Sun-Times – via NewsBank.
- ^'William Koman seeks license for casino boat in E. St. Louis'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 3, 1992 – via NewsBank.
- ^Patrick E. Gauen (May 15, 1992). 'Illinois backs casino at E. St. Louis site'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Margaret Gillerman (June 24, 1993). 'Casino Queen, a city's dreamboat, sails at last'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Brett Pulley (21 July 1998). 'Casino Changes the Fortune Of a Hard-Luck Illinois City'. The New York Times. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^'Mayor says hotel signals renewal of East St. Louis'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 18, 1998 – via NewsBank.
- ^Denise Hollinshed (January 4, 2000). 'New hotel at Casino Queen opens for business with views of St. Louis skyline'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Robert Patrick (4 April 2014). 'Old Casino Queen yields $600,000 at auction'. St Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^'Gambling on the future of East St Louis'. Lindenwood University. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^Tim Logan (December 28, 2012). 'Employee-owners hope to reverse Casino Queen's fortunes'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^Lisa Brown (December 10, 2013). 'REIT buying Casino Queen real estate for $140 million'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^'Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. closes acquisition of the real estate assets related to the Casino Queen in East St. Louis for $140 million' (Press release). Gaming and Leisure Properties. January 23, 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-26 – via GlobeNewswire.
- ^ ab'In deal with sports wagering firm, Casino Queen rebrands as DraftKings at Casino Queen'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. July 24, 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^'Casino Queen'. Clayco. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^'IL Says Casino Queen Can't Stay Open 24 Hours'. St Louis Public Radio. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
Lumiere and River City gaming casinos located in the City of St. Louis close
March 17, 2020, Jefferson City - The Missouri Gaming Commission has ordered all riverboat gaming casinos in the state to temporarily suspend their casino operations and to close effective midnight March 17, 2020 through March 30th, 2020 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to close was made after careful consideration and discussion with Governor Mike Parson.
Chairman Mike Leara says 'Our concern for the welfare of both patrons and employees of the riverboat gaming casinos was of utmost importance. We understand this closure affects patrons, employees, the home dock cities and counties, and the worthy causes such as the Missouri Veterans Capital Improvement Trust Fund, and others who receive tax revenue from Missouri's casinos.' Leara adds 'The Missouri Gaming Commission since its inception has never had to initiate a statewide closure, however circumstances warranted this action.' How does casino markers work in.
The Missouri Gaming Commission will continue to monitor the COVID-
19 pandemic and its operational consequences to Missouri riverboat
gaming casinos.
Missouri has 13 riverboat gaming casinos located on the Missouri
and Mississippi rivers.
References[edit]
- ^Robert Kelly (February 8, 1990). 'Dice to be rollin' on the river'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Kathleen Best (September 11, 1990). 'East side casino assured: E. St. Louis wins right to riverboat'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Lynn Sweet (July 3, 1990). '10 vie for 5 riverboat gambling licenses'. Chicago Sun-Times – via NewsBank.
- ^'William Koman seeks license for casino boat in E. St. Louis'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 3, 1992 – via NewsBank.
- ^Patrick E. Gauen (May 15, 1992). 'Illinois backs casino at E. St. Louis site'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Margaret Gillerman (June 24, 1993). 'Casino Queen, a city's dreamboat, sails at last'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Brett Pulley (21 July 1998). 'Casino Changes the Fortune Of a Hard-Luck Illinois City'. The New York Times. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^'Mayor says hotel signals renewal of East St. Louis'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 18, 1998 – via NewsBank.
- ^Denise Hollinshed (January 4, 2000). 'New hotel at Casino Queen opens for business with views of St. Louis skyline'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch – via NewsBank.
- ^Robert Patrick (4 April 2014). 'Old Casino Queen yields $600,000 at auction'. St Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^'Gambling on the future of East St Louis'. Lindenwood University. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^Tim Logan (December 28, 2012). 'Employee-owners hope to reverse Casino Queen's fortunes'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^Lisa Brown (December 10, 2013). 'REIT buying Casino Queen real estate for $140 million'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-07-26.
- ^'Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. closes acquisition of the real estate assets related to the Casino Queen in East St. Louis for $140 million' (Press release). Gaming and Leisure Properties. January 23, 2014. Retrieved 2020-07-26 – via GlobeNewswire.
- ^ ab'In deal with sports wagering firm, Casino Queen rebrands as DraftKings at Casino Queen'. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. July 24, 2020. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^'Casino Queen'. Clayco. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^'IL Says Casino Queen Can't Stay Open 24 Hours'. St Louis Public Radio. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
Lumiere and River City gaming casinos located in the City of St. Louis close
March 17, 2020, Jefferson City - The Missouri Gaming Commission has ordered all riverboat gaming casinos in the state to temporarily suspend their casino operations and to close effective midnight March 17, 2020 through March 30th, 2020 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to close was made after careful consideration and discussion with Governor Mike Parson.
Chairman Mike Leara says 'Our concern for the welfare of both patrons and employees of the riverboat gaming casinos was of utmost importance. We understand this closure affects patrons, employees, the home dock cities and counties, and the worthy causes such as the Missouri Veterans Capital Improvement Trust Fund, and others who receive tax revenue from Missouri's casinos.' Leara adds 'The Missouri Gaming Commission since its inception has never had to initiate a statewide closure, however circumstances warranted this action.' How does casino markers work in.
The Missouri Gaming Commission will continue to monitor the COVID-
19 pandemic and its operational consequences to Missouri riverboat
gaming casinos.
Missouri has 13 riverboat gaming casinos located on the Missouri
and Mississippi rivers.
Contact
LeAnn McCarthy
Phone: (573) 526-4080
LeAnn.McCarthy@mgc.dps.mo.gov
Website: http://mgc.dps.mo.gov/
- Department:
Department of Health
Office of the Mayor - Topic:
Immunizations and Public Health
Gambling and Lotteries
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