Landowner battling to keep property from casino

In fact, he said he wouldn't take $1 million for the land, which is in the path of an access road for Isle of Capri's planned casino and hotel development north of Kimmswick, a casino that Schlect and many residents oppose.

But it appears he'll have to sell, anyway.

Schlect's land is dotted with mineral springs that near the end of the 19th century drew tourists to the area. The land has been in Schlect's family for nearly 50 years. A semiretired carpenter, Schlect, 53, had planned to build a house there, where he could fish and enjoy the deer, geese and wild turkey that frequent this area.

"It's a perfect, ideal place for a guy that wants to be outdoors," he said.

Schlect hired a lawyer but said he was told he will likely have to sell. That's because Isle of Capri has a contract with Jefferson County that calls for the use of eminent domain to force the sale of any property needed to build the road.

Jefferson County Presiding Commissioner Sam Rauls said the road will benefit the county by providing an alternate route from Highway 61-67 to Montebello Road. It also will provide access to 13 acres of wetlands Isle of Capri donated to the county earlier this year for use as a park.

Isle of Capri estimates that the $100 million gaming complex, scheduled to open in the summer of 2002, will generate about $9.5 million in new annual revenue for the county.

Still, to Schlect, it amounts to legalized theft.

"I'm not against gambling; that's everybody's own personal thing," he said. "I have a problem with them coming in and legally bribing the county to do their dirty work."

Kimmswick was founded by German immigrant Theodore Kimm in 1859 and thrived from the mid- to late-1800s as a popular stopping point for river and rail travelers. Though the town now has a population of less than 150, it once had its own flour mill, brewery, brick kiln and several large greenhouses.

Local residents say much of the community's success was due to its proximity to Montesano Park, a mineral springs resort that drew visitors from all around St. Louis in the late 1880s.

Schlect's land was part of the old resort property. He suspects that the land also may contain the bones of mastodons, as were unearthed in Mastodon State Historic Site, on the other side of Interstate 55.

"There's a lot of historical significance to this ground," Schlect said. "I don't want them to come in with a bulldozer and push it over. The money is not the issue. I just want them to leave me alone."

Kimmswick has been fighting hard to keep the casino out. The town has an ordinance banning gambling. In August, the town announced plans to annex the casino property and several surrounding parcels and turn the casino plat into a park. Isle of Capri filed suit against the city earlier this month seeking to block the annexation.

Chris Rice, local coordinator for the Isle of Capri, said the company was negotiating with Schlect and four other property owners to purchase the land needed for the road. He said the company also will pay for an archaeological study to determine the historic significance of all the ground involved.

The road or site plans could be altered, Rice said, or historical artifacts could be removed, if any are discovered.

Though Isle of Capri has the support of the county, Rice has faced an uphill battle selling the casino project to local residents. The windows of his office on Main Street in nearby Imperial are smeared with what appear to be tomatoes tossed by opponents.

"These people are just very scared," Rice said. "They don't know what to expect, and they're nervous. I think once we're in and they see what we can do for the area, they're going to like it."

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