Rockaway Beach’s initial attempt to bring casino gambling to the Branson area a couple of years ago initially evoked a “Ho hum, they’ll never do it” attitude from a lot of people in the area. That attitude changed dramatically however, as the attempt gained momentum, financial support, credibility, and approval to be on the ballot for a statewide vote on the matter.
Little Rockaway Beach fought a gallant fight for that which they believed in as did their opponents and, at the end of the day, lost the fight. Some might say that it serves no useful purpose, at this point, to rehash why or how they lost because it can not change what happened or the impact on the future of casino gambling in Rockaway Beach. Although partially true, there are at a minimum, two reasons for its defeat and four present realities that might be of value in determining the odds on whether or not casino gambling will ever come to Rockaway Beach.
The first and most important thing that defeated Rockaway Beach’s chance of getting casino gambling was the opposition of Branson. Under the leadership of Peter Herschend, and with the full support of the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Branson, the majority of the Branson tourism industry, and a lot of members within the community, that opposition out maneuvered and out politicked the better funded Rockaway Beach effort at every turn.
Another formidable factor that contributed to the issues defeat was that the other casino gambling destinations, for obvious reasons, did not support Rockaway Beach’s efforts. A local news paper article appearing at the time reported that Boonville residents wanted to protect their casino from competition and for that reason, the Boonville Chamber of Commerce voted to oppose Rockaway’s efforts. It’s not very likely that the voters in Kansas City, St. Louis, and other areas that have casinos felt very much different.
The first present reality is that without substantial financial assistance from outside sources Rockaway Beach simply cannot mount another credible campaign to bring casino gambling to its city. For its’ initial effort, Rockaway Beach didn’t have a lot of its own money to gamble in the effort but it was able to obtain sufficient financial support from outside sources. It’s hard to imagine that Rockaway Beach today, has any more of its own money available to gamble on another try than it had for its original attempt.
In attempting to obtain that outside financing the two reasons discussed above for its defeat become present realities two and three. In view of what happened last time and the fact that the resistance from Branson and other casino gambling destinations will not go away, what are the odds that Rockaway Beach can get the financial support it needs to try again? In an Ole Seagull’s opinion the odds of success are “too much to one,” and only a masochist would put money into such an effort without having at least the support of Branson’s city government and Branson’s local movers and shakers.
As to the government of the City of Branson itself, can any reasonable thinking person, after watching the price it has been willing to extract from its neighbors, Taney County, and its school district for its own economic growth, possibly believe it will do anything that might put a dollar in another taxing entities pocket? Absent economic disaster to the economy of Branson what are the odds that Branson’s movers and shakers would support casino gambling in Rockaway Beach? Probably about the same as the tenants at Branson Landing paying for and supporting a trolley or other public transportation to take people from their businesses and restaurants up the Main Street hill to businesses in Historic Downtown Branson.
Some might ask, “But what if the “new Branson” decides that it needs gambling to be successful, won’t it support casino gambling in Rockaway Beach then?” That involves the fourth present reality. The “new Branson” is only interested in making a buck for itself without regard for much else such as Branson’s history, traditions, quality of life, values, existing businesses, the financial health of the school district, and particularly, the economic development of areas other than itself.
If the “new Branson” decides that casino gambling is needed, the odds of it being in Rockaway Beach are about the same as Target being built in Hollister. “But Seagull, Target is already built in Branson.” So the odds of it being built in Hollister are how much? In an Ole Seagull’s opinion about the same as Rockaway’s chance of ever getting casino gambling.
