Caesars Entertainment announced it will move its 21-year old Harrah’s Metropolis Casino riverboat in Metropolis, Illinois from the Ohio River to the land-based convention center owned by Harrah’s. However, under Illinois law, slots and table games must be played over water. How Harrah’s will accomplish that has not been revealed. The Illinois Gaming Commission must approve the plan.
Metropolis Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Gower said, “There’s more than one way to float a boat.” Added Mayor Billy McDaniel, “It might be putting water bladders under the convention center, like a giant hot water bottle.”
Currently patrons still must use a gangplank to access the riverboat, which offer 1,100 slot machines and remains a throwback to the riverboat gambling days of the 19th century.
Casino tax revenues make up nearly half of the annual income of Metropolis, population 6,500. “It covers all of our operating expenses for personnel,” McDaniel said. Casino income also paid for the police and fire stations, along with parks and playground equipment.
But casino revenue has declined by 57 percent since the 2007 fiscal year, when it reached a peak of $9.7 million. In the 2013 fiscal year, revenue fell to $4.2 million, and dropped by 10 percent in June 2013 compared to June 2012. Nine of 10 Illinois casinos posted revenue decreases of up to 17 percent in June, year over year.
Marketing director Ryan Bierbaum said, when the riverboat moves to the convention center, “We hope to see a slight reversal in the trend.” Metropolis Public Library Director Carrie Rutherford said, “It’s kind of a scary future. Our operational budget is based on gaming.”
Metropolis was named for the hometown of Marvel comics superhero Superman, who is honored with a 15-foot-tall bronze statue in front of the old court house square—a popular tourist attraction. The 36th annual Superman celebration was held in June.
