Legislative effort to save the St. Louis President heard in Senate committee

Intro:	One week after the state Gaming Commission voted to strip the President riverboat casino of its gaming license, a Senate committee heard a bill Wednesday that its sponsor says would overturn the ruling. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: St. Louis Democratic Senator Robin Wright-Jones says her bill heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee can save the President.

She says the bill, which the committee could vote on next week, would make it clear the Gaming Commission can't shut down a casino for not making enough money.

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Description: "How is it that we can allow this to happen? Our statutes are clear and we have the right to change them to protect everyone, essentially. If this particular action is allowed to stand, everybody's in jeopardy."

That "everyone" includes the few dozen President casino employees at the hearing.

More than 240 would lose their jobs if the casino closes.

The casino's owner has a little more than three weeks to appeal the commission's ruling.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	A spokesman for the President riverboat casino's owner says it's about time he was given a chance to defend the company, a week after the state Gaming Commission voted to sink the downtown St. Louis casino's gaming operations. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: A few dozen President casino employees packed a Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing on a bill that could save the President.

Mack Bradley, a spokesman for Pinnacle Entertainment, the President's owner, says it's about time the company got to respond to the Gaming Commission's decision.

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Description: "Pinnacle was not permitted to speak to the Gaming Commission at their meeting when they took this vote to revoke the license for the President. So, we're glad to come here and get a little due process."

The commission claims Pinnacle let the riverboat fail so it wouldn't take business away from its other downtown casino, Lumiere Place.

A vote could come on the bill next week.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	The state Gaming Commission's director told a Senate committee that the President casino owner's neglect gave it no other option than to sink the riverboat's gaming operations. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: Opponents say closing the casino will cost more than 240 casino jobs and dozens more in the city because of lost tax revenue.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard a bill to stop the Gaming Commission from closing a casino because of declining revenue.

Commission director Gene McNary says the casino's owners sunk the riverboat themselves.

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Description: "They're not telling anyone to go the President, they're telling them to go to Lumiere. And the cutback, they don't have much food service anymore. They have half the slot machines. They closed one floor."

McNary says the President has cut three-quarters of its staff.

The President's owner has about three weeks to appeal the shutdown.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.