Seagull Musings Column for May 30, 2004
Ah yes, the age old question, “Will crime and Viagra sales increase if casino entertainment comes to Rockaway Beach? If what the Ole Seagull heard at a recent meeting is true, “that casino gambling is controlled by the ‘mafia,'” one could reasonably expect an increase in crime.
“But Seagull, who would believe something like that?” How about some of the same people who believed that the Branson Board of Aldermen was going to seriously address the issue of the expansion of the drinking of alcoholic beverages into theatres and attractions at their May 24, meeting?
The first casinos authorized by Missouri’s voters started operation in May of 1994. In the ten years they have been providing entertainment to Missouri residents and visitors, has there been any credible evidence presented by anyone that either the “mafia” or “organized crime” is controlling that entertainment? Indeed, the credible evidence would seem to suggest that Missouri’s casino entertainment industry is controlled very closely by the Missouri Gaming Commission, not the “mafia” or “organized crime.”
“Now hold on there Seagull, are you saying that there would be no increase in crime if casino entertainment came to Rockaway Beach?” No, not at all, but if there was any, he’d bet that, proportionately speaking, it would be about the same as the rate of increase in the sales of Viagra.
“Are you seriously comparing an increase in crime to increased sales of Viagra?” Why not, doesn’t it make as much sense as the Branson Board of Aldermen and the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce condemning the expansion of casino entertainment on family value grounds with one hand while supporting the expansion of the serving of alcoholic beverages into Branson’s family friendly theatres and attractions with the other?
“Not really.” Well let’s try it this way. If there is an increase of hundreds of thousands of visitors coming into the Branson Area and an increase in our areas permanent population for any reason, a casino in Rockaway Beach, Branson Landing etc., wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect a proportional increase in crime, church enrollment, traffic accidents, meals served at restaurants, heart attacks, sales of tickets to shows and attractions, rental of hotel rooms, increased retail sales including Viagra, etc?
“Well it sounds logical but wouldn’t the increase in crime be greater because of the type of people that casino entertainment brings in?” Not really. Send a survey team from the Chamber of Commerce to Tunica, Mississippi, to look at the average person being entertained in their casinos. An Ole Seagull would bet that they are the very types of people that Branson is spending millions of marketing dollars trying to attract.
In July of 2001, the Mark Twain Casino opened in LaGrange, Missouri. In a letter dated
Recently, in citing the justification for the expansion of the serving of alcohol into Branson’s theatres and attractions, one of the owners of a theatre serving alcohol said words to the effect that “we are just giving our customer what they want.” It is estimated that a casino in Rockaway Beach would provide an “additional attraction” that an estimated 3 million visitors a year would visit because it provides a form of entertainment that they want.
What’s more likely to cause someone to travel three to four hours to come to Branson, the serving of alcoholic beverages in theatres and attractions or the desire for casino entertainment? To an Ole Seagull the only “crime” he sees in this situation is Branson’s willingness to compromise its “family values,” in the alcohol situation while blithely ignoring the entertainment desires of an estimated three million visitors a year to our area. Now that we know what we are, can’t we at least renegotiate the price?
Gary Groman, a.k.a. “The Ole Seagull,” is an independent columnist and the editor of the Branson Courier. He may be reached by clicking here or by calling 417-339-4000.
