By Maria Altman and Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio
Jefferson City, Mo. – Five companies have submitted applications to the Missouri Gaming Commission for the state's 13th casino license.
The deadline was Wednesday.
The proposals include two in the St. Louis region, two in suburban Kansas City and one in Cape Girardeau, which does not have a casino.
Casino Celebration LLC submitted an application for a casino in north St. Louis city just south of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.
North County Development LLC wants to build a casino nearby in the Spanish Lake area of north St. Louis County. The bid for that site has been somewhat controversial because of its location in the floodplain and proximity to the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.
LeAnn McCarthy with the State Gaming Commission says the applications will now be reviewed.
"Once we deem the application(s) complete, (they will) be sent off to financial investigators, criminal investigators," McCarthy said.
The selection process will include a market analysis, which is being conducted by both the Gaming Commission and the state's Economic Development Department. McCarthy says at this point none of the five applicants has an advantage over the others.
"Right now, we're working from scratch," McCarthy said. "We're taking all information that's available to us, and the Commission's gonna take that and look into it, see what's out there, see what's available, and take it from there."
The state's 13th casino license became available earlier this year when Pinnacle Entertainment shut down the President Casino, which operated onboard the Admiral Riverboat in St. Louis.
McCarthy says the commission hopes to choose among the five applicants before the end of the year.