Bridge work could hurt Ameristar St. Charles
What is it with regional gaming operator Ameristar Casinos and bridges?
A bridge in Missouri that connects St. Louis County with Ameristar’s casino in neighboring St. Charles County will undergo significant repair work starting next year, which could disrupt access to the hotel-casino.
The good news is that Las Vegas-based Ameristar has time to prepare customers for the Blanchette Bridge closure. The repair work could last two years.
Ameristar St. Charles accounts for roughly 24 percent of the company’s annual cash flows.
“Given the proximity of the bridge to Ameristar St. Charles, we expect the property to experience reduced traffic during the repair period,” Wells Fargo Securities Gaming analyst Carlo Santarelli told investors.
Santarelli said Lumiere Place, Pinnacle Entertainment’s downtown St. Louis casino, could benefit from the road closure.
“It becomes a more convenient destination for those on the St. Louis County side of the Missouri River,” Santarelli said.
In 2009, a bridge closing in Indiana blocked access to Ameristar’s casino in the community of East Chicago. Illinois customers were forced to find new routes to the casino.
