Tim Green is absolutely correct. This mans actions should come at a price. Elected officials cannot be intimidated into voting for a special interest. They normally are just given election money.

Maybe State Senator Green could actually take a stand on one side or the other regarding the casino…most of his constinuents who live near the proposed site are very much against it. I find it interesting that through out the debate he was nowhere to be heard from…and now he is calling for an investigation! I think he, like the Hazelwood school board, only see the ”potential” $$$ that the casino might bring in…not the destruction of the wildlife area and green space around the site. Of course none of the money will go to the part of the school district most impacted by the casino…it will go to the schools in already well funded part of the district.

First of all, Stenger needs to prove intimidation, he may not be without conflict of interest and pressure from labor groups in the casino vote. It may be likely that he should have recused himself, as should have O’Mara. Secondly, people who attended the hearing did not even notice that this happened. So it must have been a whispered shout on Lee’s part. Third, for much of the meeting,Stenger was not in his seat attending to the 52 concerned citizens who spoke and seemed to have no interest in the fact that 90% of the speakers spoke against the bill Stenger voted in for. His mind was made up ahead of time. Stenger apparently did not notice that the room was packed with opponents who gave professional and eloquent pleas that the Council delay the vote and educate themselves in more detail about the wide-ranging and damaging effects of this matter. Nor does Stenger (or O’Mara - the casino is in his District 4) seem to have a problem giving Spanish Lake’s land over to questionable Illinois developers (the Lakins are part of this group), as reported in the St Louis Business Journal in August. As for threats, the quote above says that Lee merely said he would not forget Stenger’s vote. Is that a threat? Well, neither will many of us forget this; who cannot believe the idiocy of allowing the rape of wild wetlands next to the Conservation Area, which the state has already invested over 25 million dollars in? I hope no one forgets.

Get these Casino clowns out of here. There are certainly better companies and industry to bring to the Metro area to provide tax revenue and jobs. This is Politicians taking the easy way out. People generally don’t want all these Casnios. We aren’t Vegas!

Hmmmm, interesting way for Sen. Green to get his name out there, since he hasn’t done any investigation into the valid concerns of the North County residents who are begging for this project to get cancelled. I guess he’s a friend of Stenger’s. Probably a friend of Mayor Lowery of Florissant, who spoke like he owned the right to so-called construction jobs that are rumored to rain down from heaven when the Casino Cometh. I’d like to see Lowery’s reaction if Spanish Lake came over to his meeting and proposed to drop a casino in Old Florissant historic district. Labor unions, yes, you need jobs, we all do, and I make a lot less than you union guys. a lot less. So get on these Council members’ and your Mayors’ backs to get out there and companies to move into North County. How much of this are they doing for you? This development destroys much more than it builds. Look into the matter - it is a historic area, archaeological resource, a designated natural resource, park area, and a wildlife sanctuary area. Most of you have not even driven out there to see where it is. Go out there and imagine Neon lights and concrete plopped right down in the middle of a recreation, open wildlife area. Nothin’ like bikin’ and fishin’ under the lights of the Slots! Stenger should have been intimidated by the facts presented before him at that meeting. They spoke a lot louder than any little comment from some gaming dude.

Will there be an investigation into how pipefitter leadership is strong-arming the council on this decision? Will there be a public vote on this matter? Will the legislature require the developer to pay for an impact study before the casino is built? How does the senator feel about the fact that this councilmen voted against the majority of constituents who turned out to this meeting? Let’s investigate what ex-senator John Laudon said about how casinos kill smaller business. I don’t want Stenger hurt, but I am hurt that this has become the focus on this issue; a poor councilmen threatened by a horrible casino boss for his righteous vote to rezone land for ANOTHER casino. Let’s all support Stenger now. I don’t think so.

I question if the author of this article as present at the Council Meeting Tuesday night. I was there and I saw and heard no altercation during or after the vote. People may have grumbled and most hissed once, but if this occurred, it was not as Paul Hempel describes it here. So I hope the reporter is careful not to publish stories perhaps ‘encouraged’ by the Stenger camp. The County Council is guilty of not heeding the many citizens who opposed this bill from day one. They are also guilty (including Stenger) of voting to rezone this land to commercial zoning in association with a casino development, despite much evidence that shows them that they need to do more homework, and that they are not qualified and do not know the probable ill effects of developing riverfront wetlands in a flood plain (land, which by the way, is flooded this week and is actively acting like a flood plain is designed to serve). This confrontation did not take place as reported here and the wording should be modified to reflect what actually occurred.

Even if everything happened exactly as Stenger and his assistant says, where’s the threat? The threat was to his political career, which means next election Lee throws his money and support to a different candidate. I don’t think that violates any laws. We can all imagine this like a 1950s gangster movie. But that didn’t happen. Forget which side of the casino queston you’re on. It actually sounds more like Stenger went back on some promises in return for past support. Stenger is in my district and I won’t forget.

Maybe Dan Lee’s Casinos should have their licence pulled due to the criminal nature of his threats. We dont need thugs from vegas strong arming our people. This is a distrubing situation and we dont need mob like CEOs doing business here!!!!! BOYCOTT Pinnacle

Stenger seems like a publicity hound. I am not a fan of the casinos, but this looks more like a politician looking to get his name in the paper. Also, the unions are pushing hard for the casino in Spanish Lake, obviously Dan Lee doesn’t want more competition,so its easy to figure his motivation. on the other hand perhaps Senator Green’s motivation is likely due to the plans for a casino in his area. Everyone know that the unions want the casino in north county and Sen Green is very close to them - considering the union’s past makes one wonder who is doing the intimidating.