Not showing up at Monday's casino presentation meeting may have been a clue. But Plain Joe Development LLC just made it official.

They're dropping out of the competition for Missouri's 13th Gaming License.

In a letter to city officials and the Missouri Gaming Commission (and cc'd to Building Blocks), the California-based LLC said it's withdrawing its proposal to build $284 million casino and commercial complex just north of the Chain of Rocks Bridge in north St. Louis. No reason was given.

That leaves Casino Celebration, a proposal by members of the Koman family, as the only casino proposal on the table in the City of St. Louis. They laid out plans for a $115 million, 120,000 square foot casino on land just south of the Chain of Rocks.

In its letter, Plain Joe endorsed Koman's plan. The group is still exploring a "mixed-use, destination-type development" (maybe a recreational harbor or water park) on the 70-acre site north of the bridge known as Pier St. Louis. And, they said, a casino down the street might help.

But whatever casino gets built, it won't be by them.

City officials have set two meetings next week at which they could endorse Casino Celebration. Such an endorsement would likely help the project's case before the Missouri Gaming Commission, which wants to award a preliminary license by year's end. Casinos in Cape Girardeau, Sugar Creek (suburban Kansas City) and perhaps north St. Louis County are also expected to be in the running.

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