ST. LOUIS • At the tip of the city, a narrow road rises off Riverview Drive and curls up to a 90-year-old home on the hill.
This is nearly the last house in St. Louis before city becomes county. It's surrounded by an acre of forest, a vegetable garden and, sometimes, a family of deer. It
Gretchen Meyer, 51, spent much of her childhood here.
Then came word that someone wanted to build a big casino next door.
Meyer wasn't sure she could stay. Casino Celebration was supposed to fill the gravel lot at the Chain of Rocks Bridge across from her house. A grand palace with arched entryways, beaming searchlights and a giant saxophone would rise in place of picnic tables, grass and trees.
Now — quite to the relief of homeowners here — none of that will happen.
On Wednesday, the state awarded its 13th and final casino license to Cape Girardeau, passing over the Koman family's plan to build one here.
The decision also gave this disjointed urban landscape a chance to become the biking, hiking, trail-running community link that so many think it can be.
When the state turned down Casino Celebration, a side agreement kicked in: The Komans had agreed that if the casino deal fell through, they would sell the land to the Great Rivers Greenway, a tax-funded agency tasked with building 600 miles of trails connecting nearly all parts of the region.
"Now the casino idea is gone. It's like you had cancer, and not only are you in remission, you're totally healed," said Dionne Flowers, alderman here, in Ward 2. "Now you can go on, and it's going to get totally better."
For a while, the promise of economic development drowned out greenway ideas.
City planners touted $11 million in tax revenue to St. Louis alone, as well as 600 permanent jobs. Aldermen pointed to $200,000 a year negotiated for ward improvements. Even Great Rivers supported the project, which would have paid $350,000 in immediate bridge improvements and as much as $135,000 a year in trail upkeep.
But a state economic analysis released last month said Cape's Isle of Capri casino would bring in $20 million more in new revenue, $5 million more in taxes and 250 more jobs.
The Missouri Gaming Commission sided with the report.
And that means that the focus in north St. Louis is shifting from a casino's loss to a region's park plans.
"It's been on the books, and on people's minds, for years," said Alderman Flowers. "There's always been these missing links. And now they're finally filling in the blanks."
The bridge already caps a long greenway that stretches down the riverfront. A bike trail runs south to downtown, or east into Illinois and north to Alton.
But it's part of a bigger plan. Great Rivers, with a tax-funded $11 million annual budget, is trying to put together enough land to build what it calls the River Ring — a system of 45 interconnected greenways, parks and trails that will follow the region's great rivers, encircle the area, and cover 1,216 square miles.
It will improve communities, said executive director Susan Trautman. It will make people move into and stay in the region.
Chain of Rocks is a key link, she said. It connects Missouri trails to growing Metro East populations. Great Rivers has been trying to buy the property for eight years.
Trautman found out Friday that the deal should close before the end of the year, and for a below-market price. She wouldn't say how much, but it was appraised last year for $1.5 million. Koman will get a tax write-off on the difference.
Casino representatives could not be reached for comment.
Now neighbors up here are dreaming again. They know they want a secured parking lot and permanent restrooms. They imagine a trailhead, bike station and kayak rental shop. Maybe a hot dog booth. Even a brew pub.
It's a little hard to picture.
The lot is broken concrete and gravel, once a landfill for the razed Pruitt-Igoe tenements. Chains bar entry, and signs are posted every few feet. "WARNING. Park at your own risk!" one reads. Broken window glass covers the ground beneath it.
Still, on the riverfront trail, the city almost fades away. Downtown skyscrapers disappear. The river covers the sounds of traffic. And winter brings ice floes and eagles.
This weekend, neighbors and greenway supporters held parties to celebrate the win of their letter-writing campaigns. "I have to say, we were really kind of proud," said resident Barbara Floreth. "It made us feel that, in some small way, we were a part of their decision."
Floreth joined about 20 other folks at one party at Meyer's home, on the hill overlooking the bridge. Meyer called it the "No 'Casino Celebration' Celebration."
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