Casino Values, Tax Revenues Plunge
St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman calls a decision by the County Board of Equalization to lower property value assessments outragous.
The assessments were lowered by a total of more than $300 million for Harrah's and River City Casinos.
The end result means the taxing districts for those casinos will not receive more than $10 million in what was expected tax revenue.
"This body of three lay people is not equipped to in a 15-minute hearing, to make a decision about the value of a multi-million dollar piece of commercial property," said Zimmerman.
"We came up with what we believe to be the fair market assessment of what the casinos were," said attorney Leslie Broadnax, chairperson for the board.
The Lemay Fire Protection district and Hancock school district say property owners in their communities should expect to make up the shortfall.
"The board wouldn't do that for your mom, they wouldn't do it for my mom, and they shouldn't be doing it for casinos either," said Jake Zimmerman, St. Louis County Assessor.
The Chair of the Board of Equalization stands by the decision saying the casinos made their case, "We only make our decisions based on what we're charged with by state statute and that is to provide what we believe is the fair market value of a property is."
She says the County has established new ways for dividing what is considered personal property and what is considered part of the real estate assessment.
She says those changes contributed to the new figures.
The Superintendent of the Hancock district was especially disappointed in the board's decision. He said he never knew the casino was appealing the decision. He questions whether the current process works.
"That's at least important for us to have a voice and a feel like our voice has been left out," said Dr. Kevin Carl, superintendent of schools.
..
Showing posts with label River City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label River City. Show all posts
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Missouri Casino Crimes
Two St. Louis men charged after robbery at River City casino
ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Two St. Louis men were charged today in a robbery early this morning outside the River City casino.
Maurice T. Wilson, 25, and Kenneth R. Wilson, 19, both of the 5000 block of Minerva Avenue, were charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, police said. Wilson also was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing. Bail for both suspects was set at $100,000.
The relationship of the suspects was unclear; St. Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard said he didn't know if they were related.
St. Louis County police said a man was robbed on the parking lot of the casino, in south St. Louis County, about 2 a.m. The amount of money stolen was not released.
Police spotted the suspects' car and said the men tried to outrun officers. They fled into Illinois, but drove into a cornfield off of Route 3. The driver was arrested immediately.
A passenger ran off but was captured about three hours later in Dupo, police say. He was found, covered in mud, walking along Interstate 255.
Eckhard said the victim, who was not hurt, talked to a police officer working outside the casino. The officer quickly contacted dispatchers with a description of the suspects' car.
"Anyone who chooses (to commit robbery on) a casino parking lot is actually foolish because casinos on the inside contain the Highway Patrol and on the outside we do the security and there are a lot of surveillance cameras," Eckhard said. "It's a terrible place (for robberies), but lucky for us these people aren't always the brightest."
St. Louis County man sues Casino Queen after 'follow-home' robbery
BY NICHOLAS J.C. PISTOR
CLAYTON • A St. Louis County man has sued the Casino Queen, claiming the East St. Louis casino failed to protect him after he won $17,500 at a black jack table.
Mark Myers claimed the Casino Queen did not offer him "an alternative form of payment, such as a check, did not offer him a more private place in which to conduct his transaction, did not offer to provide him with a secure egress from the premises, and did not warn plaintiff that he was being openly stalked by two suspicious persons."
The suit, filed in St. Louis County on June 10, alleges Myers was followed home late at night on April 12, 2009 by two people after the casino got him a taxi cab. Myers was then robbed and shot by two assailants.
Suspect arrested in Lumière Place garage carjacking
ST. LOUIS • A suspect has been arrested in a carjacking overnight in the parking garage of Lumière Place casino downtown, police say.
The 21-year-old victim told police he had gone to get something from his car, a 2007 Mercedes S550 about 11:35 p.m. Tuesday at the casino garage, 999 N. Second Street. He saw a man get out of another car and walk toward him carrying a gun.
The gunman told the victim to put his belongings, including the keys to his car, in a bag. He followed the gunman's orders.
When the gunman saw a security officer, he put the gun in his pocket and told the victim to walk toward the elevators.
The gunman got into the victim's Mercedes and drove away. The victim told the security officer what had happened, police say. The victim was not injured.
The gunman was described as a black man, about 30 years old, 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and short black hair. He was wearing a black coat and dark pants and was armed with a small black handgun.
Police had no description of a man who was driving the car the suspect arrived in, possibly a Pontiac.
Wednesday afternoon, police said they had arrested a 21-year-old suspect, believed to have been the driver of the car used in the robbery. The gunman has not been arrested.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Two St. Louis men were charged today in a robbery early this morning outside the River City casino.
Maurice T. Wilson, 25, and Kenneth R. Wilson, 19, both of the 5000 block of Minerva Avenue, were charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, police said. Wilson also was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing. Bail for both suspects was set at $100,000.
The relationship of the suspects was unclear; St. Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard said he didn't know if they were related.
St. Louis County police said a man was robbed on the parking lot of the casino, in south St. Louis County, about 2 a.m. The amount of money stolen was not released.
Police spotted the suspects' car and said the men tried to outrun officers. They fled into Illinois, but drove into a cornfield off of Route 3. The driver was arrested immediately.
A passenger ran off but was captured about three hours later in Dupo, police say. He was found, covered in mud, walking along Interstate 255.
Eckhard said the victim, who was not hurt, talked to a police officer working outside the casino. The officer quickly contacted dispatchers with a description of the suspects' car.
"Anyone who chooses (to commit robbery on) a casino parking lot is actually foolish because casinos on the inside contain the Highway Patrol and on the outside we do the security and there are a lot of surveillance cameras," Eckhard said. "It's a terrible place (for robberies), but lucky for us these people aren't always the brightest."
St. Louis County man sues Casino Queen after 'follow-home' robbery
BY NICHOLAS J.C. PISTOR
CLAYTON • A St. Louis County man has sued the Casino Queen, claiming the East St. Louis casino failed to protect him after he won $17,500 at a black jack table.
Mark Myers claimed the Casino Queen did not offer him "an alternative form of payment, such as a check, did not offer him a more private place in which to conduct his transaction, did not offer to provide him with a secure egress from the premises, and did not warn plaintiff that he was being openly stalked by two suspicious persons."
The suit, filed in St. Louis County on June 10, alleges Myers was followed home late at night on April 12, 2009 by two people after the casino got him a taxi cab. Myers was then robbed and shot by two assailants.
Suspect arrested in Lumière Place garage carjacking
ST. LOUIS • A suspect has been arrested in a carjacking overnight in the parking garage of Lumière Place casino downtown, police say.
The 21-year-old victim told police he had gone to get something from his car, a 2007 Mercedes S550 about 11:35 p.m. Tuesday at the casino garage, 999 N. Second Street. He saw a man get out of another car and walk toward him carrying a gun.
The gunman told the victim to put his belongings, including the keys to his car, in a bag. He followed the gunman's orders.
When the gunman saw a security officer, he put the gun in his pocket and told the victim to walk toward the elevators.
The gunman got into the victim's Mercedes and drove away. The victim told the security officer what had happened, police say. The victim was not injured.
The gunman was described as a black man, about 30 years old, 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and short black hair. He was wearing a black coat and dark pants and was armed with a small black handgun.
Police had no description of a man who was driving the car the suspect arrived in, possibly a Pontiac.
Wednesday afternoon, police said they had arrested a 21-year-old suspect, believed to have been the driver of the car used in the robbery. The gunman has not been arrested.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Lumiere Place Fails to Protect Patrons From Violent Crimes
75-year-old man robbed at gunpoint at downtown St. Louis casino
(KMOV) – St. Louis police are investigating after a 75-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint during a trip to a downtown casino.
The incident happened in the garage at the Lumiere Place casino around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The man was getting out of his car inside the Lumiere garage and was headed to the elevator when he felt a gun in his back.
He was robbed of his cash and valuables and pushed out of the elevator. The victim was not seriously injured and police are now questioning two persons of interest in this case.
Casino officials say they're cooperating with police, but News 4 has been investigating police calls to the facility, and this is no isolated incident.
News 4 gave casino managers every chance to tell us why these problems continue to plague customers, but they declined our request.
This is the eighth armed robbery at Lumiere since January. Since January 1, 2011, St. Louis police have been called to the casino for six assaults, eight hold-ups, two strong-armed robberies, six auto thefts and two carjackings.
Security guards can be seen patrolling the grounds, but the crimes continue to add up at the casino.
News 4 compared the number of police calls at Lumiere Place to a similar venue, River City casino. St. Louis County police responded to 453 calls there so far this year, while St. Louis police have only received 232 calls at Lumiere Place. One major difference though, none of the calls to River City were calls for violence.
(KMOV) – St. Louis police are investigating after a 75-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint during a trip to a downtown casino.
The incident happened in the garage at the Lumiere Place casino around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The man was getting out of his car inside the Lumiere garage and was headed to the elevator when he felt a gun in his back.
He was robbed of his cash and valuables and pushed out of the elevator. The victim was not seriously injured and police are now questioning two persons of interest in this case.
Casino officials say they're cooperating with police, but News 4 has been investigating police calls to the facility, and this is no isolated incident.
News 4 gave casino managers every chance to tell us why these problems continue to plague customers, but they declined our request.
This is the eighth armed robbery at Lumiere since January. Since January 1, 2011, St. Louis police have been called to the casino for six assaults, eight hold-ups, two strong-armed robberies, six auto thefts and two carjackings.
Security guards can be seen patrolling the grounds, but the crimes continue to add up at the casino.
News 4 compared the number of police calls at Lumiere Place to a similar venue, River City casino. St. Louis County police responded to 453 calls there so far this year, while St. Louis police have only received 232 calls at Lumiere Place. One major difference though, none of the calls to River City were calls for violence.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
