Politics & Government

River City Casino, Assessor's Office Come to Agreement on Fair Market Value

The settlement avoids mediation by the State Tax Commission, and allows Hancock Place School District and Lemay Fire Protection District to set their tax rates based on accurate property values.

Saint Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman announced Monday that the Aasessor’s office and Pinnacle Entertainment, the owner of River City Casino, in Lemay, have reached an agreement regarding the 2010, 2011 and 2012 property value appeals brought by the casino.

“I am very pleased to say that we have resolved River City’s value disputes, and reached an amicable agreement that is fair to all involved”, said Zimmerman in a news release. “Our job is simple: determining the fair market value of all properties. That job is the same whether the property is a home or a multimillion dollar business. No one should get an unfair windfall; this agreement makes sure that the casino will be assessed justly and will pay its fair share of property taxes.”

By resolving the county’s value dispute with the casino, the settlement avoids a battle before the State Tax Commission that would be lengthy, unpredictable, and expensive both for taxpayers and for the casino, according to Zimmerman's office. The settlement also gives certainty to providers of public services (notably the Hancock Place School District and the Lemay Fire Protection District), who must set their tax rates based on property values. Large value changes can have a huge impact on tax rates for other property owners served by the districts. The settlement eliminates the risk of large tax increases on other properties that might have occurred if the casino were to prevail on appeal, according to the news release. Rather than face uncertainty and the potential for years of litigation, public service providers can now set their tax rates with confidence based on the fair market value.

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The agreement, according to the assessoir's office, sets the 2012 fair market value of River City Casino (including real estate and personal property) at $234,956,810, slightly lower than last year due to the depreciation of certain personal property assets. 

In Monday's news release, Zimmerman expressed confidence that, with the tax dispute resolved, River City will once again be recognized for its leadership s a community partner in the Lemay area, and for Saint Louis County as a whole.

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“Because of this settlement, River City will pay approximately $7.5 million dollars in property taxes for 2012, helping to support their community and providing peace of mind for all involved. With our disagreement behind us, I look forward to enjoying a meal at Burger Brothers (inside the casino complex) sometime soon, and saluting the positive contributions that River City has made to the economic development of south Saint Louis County.”


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