CLAYTON, MO ( KPLR ) -
Despite vocal opposition, St. Louis County Council approved a controversial rezoning plan that paves the way for a casino complex in north St. Louis County. The land to be rezoned is adjacent to Columbia Bottoms, a conservation area along the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers near Spanish Lake.
"Sunday I was down at the Columbia Bottoms confluence point and I saw an eagle!" Spanish Lake resident Pat Behle beamed as she recalled the sighting. "Wow!"
The land takes her breath away with its beauty and history. Behle is not alone.
"That area is precisely a suburb of Cahokia, the greatest Native American city in the country," says Renata MacDougal, an archeologist and adjunct professor at Webster University. "We have this incredibly rich resource in St. Louis and we're going to pave it and put a casino. That's a ludicrous idea. There certainly are better options."
MacDougal and Behle and dozens of others protested in front of county council chambers Monday, before council's evening meeting.
"Wildlife yes! Casino no!" they chanted.
Spanish Lake resident Dorothy McGuffin was with them. "I'm a licensed professional counselor and I deal with people who are addicted, and gambling is one of the hardest most difficult addictions to identify. It sneaks up on people, and then they're addicted. And the next thing you know the family. It wreaks havoc financially."
Once inside the council chambers, 52 people signed up to speak their mind. The great majority were against the proposal.
"It will kill small business," said former State Senator John Loudon. "Locally owned small business all throughout north St. Louis County will suffer."
A few politicians spoke in favor of the plan.
"You're talking like businesses are going be wiped out, mom and pops, but you've got to have them there to wipe them out. We don't have them there to begin with and this is what we want to do," said Don Krank, a councilman in the city of Blackjack. An alderwoman from Moline Acres also spoke in favor of the proposal.
Florissant Mayor Bob Lowery told council members this was about economic development. "You have the power to put thousands of people back to work, to get your local economy moving, this is the right project at the right area, and at the right time. Please vote yes," he said.
In the end, in a 4 to 2 vote, council members approved the plan. But opponents say they are not giving up. They are threatening court action.
"Sunday I was down at the Columbia Bottoms confluence point and I saw an eagle!" Spanish Lake resident Pat Behle beamed as she recalled the sighting. "Wow!"
The land takes her breath away with its beauty and history. Behle is not alone.
"That area is precisely a suburb of Cahokia, the greatest Native American city in the country," says Renata MacDougal, an archeologist and adjunct professor at Webster University. "We have this incredibly rich resource in St. Louis and we're going to pave it and put a casino. That's a ludicrous idea. There certainly are better options."
MacDougal and Behle and dozens of others protested in front of county council chambers Monday, before council's evening meeting.
"Wildlife yes! Casino no!" they chanted.
Spanish Lake resident Dorothy McGuffin was with them. "I'm a licensed professional counselor and I deal with people who are addicted, and gambling is one of the hardest most difficult addictions to identify. It sneaks up on people, and then they're addicted. And the next thing you know the family. It wreaks havoc financially."
Once inside the council chambers, 52 people signed up to speak their mind. The great majority were against the proposal.
"It will kill small business," said former State Senator John Loudon. "Locally owned small business all throughout north St. Louis County will suffer."
A few politicians spoke in favor of the plan.
"You're talking like businesses are going be wiped out, mom and pops, but you've got to have them there to wipe them out. We don't have them there to begin with and this is what we want to do," said Don Krank, a councilman in the city of Blackjack. An alderwoman from Moline Acres also spoke in favor of the proposal.
Florissant Mayor Bob Lowery told council members this was about economic development. "You have the power to put thousands of people back to work, to get your local economy moving, this is the right project at the right area, and at the right time. Please vote yes," he said.
In the end, in a 4 to 2 vote, council members approved the plan. But opponents say they are not giving up. They are threatening court action.
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