River City Casino
River City Casino is a riverfront casino resort in Lemay, Missouri, in the Greater St. Louis area.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
River City Casino is a casino property in Lemay, Missouri, on the western bank of the Mississippi River in the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The property opened on March 4, 2010, and was developed as a major gaming and entertainment destination for the St. Louis market. Its design incorporates a 1904 World's Fair theme, connecting the property visually and conceptually with the historical identity of St. Louis. The casino occupies approximately 56 acres and provides a large gaming floor of about 90,000 square feet. Its principal gaming offer includes approximately 2,000 slot machines and 55 table games. The property formerly contained an eight-table poker room, but that facility closed in 2018 and was subsequently converted into an Asian gaming lounge focused on baccarat. This change reflected a reallocation of gaming space rather than a withdrawal from table-game operations. Beyond gaming, River City Casino combines dining, live entertainment, and hospitality-oriented amenities. Its listed restaurants include Burger Brothers, The 1904 Steakhouse, The Beerhouse, Asia Noodles, and Cibare Italian Kitchen. Judy's Velvet is a 75-seat lounge that functions as a sports bar during the day and a music venue at night. The property also provides parking for approximately 3,000 vehicles, supporting its role as a drive-to entertainment destination for the regional market. River City was initially developed by Pinnacle Entertainment. The project had an initial construction cost of approximately $380 million, and its development plan contemplated a possible second phase requiring an additional $75 million investment within the first three years for a hotel. The hotel expansion described in the reference material is a development requirement or plan rather than a confirmed completed facility, so no hotel is asserted here. Ownership and operations later separated. In April 2016, Pinnacle Entertainment sold River City Casino to Gaming and Leisure Properties and leased the property back. In October 2018, Penn National Gaming, now known as Penn Entertainment, acquired River City's operating business as part of its acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment. Gaming and Leisure Properties therefore owns the real estate, while Penn Entertainment operates the casino under a lease arrangement. In 2010, the Riverfront Times named River City Casino the Best St. Louis Casino in its annual awards.
History
River City Casino was developed in Lemay, Missouri, as a riverfront gaming and entertainment property serving the St. Louis region. Its location on the western bank of the Mississippi River placed it within the metropolitan area's casino market while giving the property a distinct waterfront setting. The development's architecture and interior identity use a 1904 World's Fair theme, drawing on the historical exposition held in St. Louis and giving the casino a locally specific design concept rather than a generic resort presentation. The project opened on March 4, 2010, following an initial investment reported at approximately $380 million. The site covers about 56 acres and was planned with parking for roughly 3,000 vehicles. Its principal attraction is a gaming floor measuring about 90,000 square feet, with approximately 2,000 slot machines and 55 table games. The development plan also contemplated a second phase requiring an additional $75 million investment within the first three years for hotel construction. The available reference material does not establish that this hotel phase was completed, so the casino is described primarily as a gaming, dining, and entertainment property. River City's offer extends beyond casino games. The property has five listed dining establishments: Burger Brothers, The 1904 Steakhouse, The Beerhouse, Asia Noodles, and Cibare Italian Kitchen. Judy's Velvet provides a smaller-scale entertainment venue with 75 seats, operating as a sports bar during the day and a music venue at night. These features support the property's positioning as a regional entertainment destination rather than solely a gambling venue. The casino's gaming mix changed over time. River City was the only casino in the St. Louis area identified in the reference material as not currently offering a poker room. Its former eight-table poker room closed in 2018, and the space was renovated into an Asian gaming lounge specializing in baccarat. This was a notable product and space-allocation decision, shifting the area toward a different form of table gaming. River City initially belonged to Pinnacle Entertainment. In April 2016, Pinnacle sold the property to Gaming and Leisure Properties and leased it back, together with nearly all of Pinnacle's real-estate assets. This transaction separated the casino's physical real estate from its operating business. In October 2018, Penn National Gaming acquired River City's operations through its acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment; Penn National later became known as Penn Entertainment. As a result, Gaming and Leisure Properties is the property owner while Penn Entertainment is the operating company. The property received local recognition soon after opening when the Riverfront Times selected it as the Best St. Louis Casino in its 2010 annual awards. The available material does not provide later awards, financial results, executive names, or an official current website. River City Casino remains an active casino property in Lemay, offering gaming, food and beverage services, sports-bar programming, and live entertainment to the Greater St. Louis market.
- 2018
Penn National Gaming acquires casino operations
[1]Penn National Gaming acquired River City's operations as part of its acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment.
- 2018
Poker room converted to Asian gaming lounge
[1]The former eight-table poker room was closed and converted into an Asian gaming lounge specializing in baccarat.
- 2016
Real-estate ownership transfers to Gaming and Leisure Properties
[1]Pinnacle Entertainment sold River City's real estate to Gaming and Leisure Properties and leased the property back.
- 2010
River City Casino opens
[1]The casino opened in Lemay, Missouri, on March 4, 2010, after development reported at approximately $380 million.
- 2010
Local casino award
[1]The Riverfront Times named River City Casino the Best St. Louis Casino in its annual awards.
Products and positioning
A large riverfront casino and entertainment property serving the Greater St. Louis regional market, combining casino gaming with restaurants, sports-bar service, and live music in a 1904 World's Fair-themed setting.
Casino gaming · 2010
Slot machines
River City's main electronic gaming offer is its slot-machine floor, which contains approximately 2,000 machines. The slots form the largest component of the casino's gaming capacity and are supported by the property's broader food, beverage, and entertainment facilities.
Casino gaming · 2010
Table games
The casino provides approximately 55 gaming tables. Its table-game offer includes an Asian gaming lounge specializing in baccarat, created after the former poker room was closed and renovated in 2018.
Food and beverage · 2010
Dining establishments
River City's listed dining venues include Burger Brothers, The 1904 Steakhouse, The Beerhouse, Asia Noodles, and Cibare Italian Kitchen. Together they provide casual, steakhouse, beer-focused, Asian, and Italian-oriented food options within the casino property.
Entertainment venue · 2010
Judy's Velvet
Judy's Velvet is a 75-seat lounge within River City Casino. It operates as a sports bar during the day and as a music venue at night, adding live entertainment and televised sports to the property's gaming and dining offer.
Brand decisions
2018
Transfer of operations to Penn National GamingM&ABackground
Penn National Gaming acquired Pinnacle Entertainment, including the operating business associated with River City Casino.
Action taken
Penn National Gaming took over operation of River City Casino; the company was later renamed Penn Entertainment.
Aftermath
River City became part of Penn Entertainment's operating portfolio while its real estate remained owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties.
2018
Conversion of poker room into baccarat-focused Asian gaming loungeStrategyBackground
River City reassessed the use of its former eight-table poker room within the casino's gaming mix.
Action taken
The poker room was closed and the space was renovated into an Asian gaming lounge specializing in baccarat.
Aftermath
The property continued to offer table gaming but no longer had a poker room, according to the reference material.
2016
Sale-leaseback of River City Casino real estateM&ABackground
Pinnacle Entertainment separated ownership of River City's physical property from casino operations as part of a broader sale of its real-estate assets.
Action taken
Gaming and Leisure Properties acquired the real estate, while Pinnacle retained operational control through a leaseback arrangement.
Aftermath
The property became part of a real-estate ownership and operating structure in which Gaming and Leisure Properties owns the casino site and a gaming operator runs the business.
Reported initial development cost. $380 million initial construction cost (At opening in 2010)
Recent events
- 2018
Penn National Gaming acquires River City operations through Pinnacle transaction[1]
M&A
Penn National Gaming, subsequently renamed Penn Entertainment, acquired River City's operating business in its acquisition of Pinnacle Entertainment.
- 2018
Poker room replaced by Asian gaming lounge[1]
Product generation
River City closed its eight-table poker room and renovated the space into an Asian gaming lounge focused on baccarat.
- 2016
Pinnacle Entertainment sells River City Casino real estate to Gaming and Leisure Properties[1]
M&A
Pinnacle Entertainment transferred ownership of River City's real estate to Gaming and Leisure Properties and leased the property back as part of a broader real-estate transaction.
- 2010
River City Casino opens in Lemay[1]
Other
River City Casino began operations on March 4, 2010, becoming a new casino and entertainment property in the Greater St. Louis market.
- 2010
River City Casino named Best St. Louis Casino[1]
Other
The Riverfront Times recognized River City Casino as the Best St. Louis Casino in its annual awards.
Sources1 sources
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