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Indian Casino Draws Unhappy Kansans, Missourans
PEORIA, OKLAHOMA --
Taking advantage of an area starved for gambling opportunities, the Quapaw Tribe opened its casino in northeastern Oklahoma over the holiday weekend. Exploiting the slow advances of planned state-owned casinos in Kansas, and dissatisfaction with identification procedures and loss limits at Missouri casinos, the Downstream Casino found itself flooded with over 10,000 gamblers an hour after opening the doors.
A model of how casinos should be erected for projects tied up by red tape and financing debacles, the construction of the Quapaw casino finished ahead of schedule, and cost less than originally budgeted.
Thousands waited outside the casino for the completion of opening ceremonies at midday on Saturday. The state's Lieutenant Governor was in attendance, as was legendary football coach Barry Switzer, a man known to enjoy gambling among his vices.
Casino revenue is earmarked to provide health care and education for the Quapaw; state taxes estimated at $1.5 million annually will go to public schools.
While Kansas has drawn out a long, seemingly never-ending process to determine the builders and operators of its proposed casinos, the Quapaw stepped into the gambling gap and created their casino so close to Kansas that the parking lot is actually in the Jayhawk state.
Missouri gamblers, upset with the requirements of photo identification to enter state casinos and the low limits of funds available to gamble as stipulated by state law, will find thew exit off I-44 to reach the Downstream Casino is actually in Missouri.
This all falls under an ancient Quapaw saying: the early bird gets the worm.
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