St. Jo Frontier Casino

St. Jo Frontier Casino is a casino facility on the edge of the Missouri River in St. Joseph, Missouri. It operates as part of Affinity Interactive's casino portfolio and is associated with Missouri's early riverboat-gambling era. The property was among the first four casinos to open after Missouri voters authorized riverboat gambling in the early 1990s, beginning operations on June 24, 1994. The casino was established by William M. Grace, who initially operated a tourist riverboat named The Spirit of St. Joseph from a location at Riverside Park, west of downtown St. Joseph and beneath the Interstate 229 viaduct. In its original form, the operation could offer card games but did not initially have authorization to install slot machines. The vessel also made excursions on the Missouri River, an arrangement that raised jurisdictional questions because the site was close to Kansas. Missouri voters approved slot-machine gambling in November 1994. A subsequent 1996 decision by the Missouri Gaming Commission allowed casino boats to remain stationary as long as they were located within 1,000 feet of the river and connected to qualifying river water. This regulatory change led Missouri operators to develop so-called boats-in-moats: casino structures designed to resemble riverboats and placed in concrete basins supplied with river water. Grace developed a replacement property north of the original site. The new facility cost approximately $18 million and covered about 18,000 square feet. Its opening was delayed after the Missouri Supreme Court determined that voters had to approve the boats-in-moats concept. Missouri voters approved the concept in 1998, allowing the new St. Jo Frontier Casino structure to open that year. The move created the modern form of the property and ended the casino's reliance on the original excursion-oriented operation. After William M. Grace died in 2005, Herbst Gaming acquired the St. Joseph property together with Grace casinos in La Grange, Missouri, and Osceola, Iowa, in a transaction valued at $287 million. Herbst subsequently invested approximately $16 million in renovations, including the Bougainvillea restaurant and a venue for live entertainment. Herbst Gaming changed its corporate name to Affinity Gaming in 2011 and later adopted the name Affinity Interactive in 2021. The casino is one of Missouri's smaller gaming properties. The facility has been described as offering hundreds of gaming machines and poker tables, alongside dining and entertainment amenities. In 2008, the property reportedly generated $18 million in gross revenue, paid $3 million in taxes, and recorded 579,550 admissions. These historical figures describe a past reporting period and should not be treated as current performance data. The casino's identity remains closely tied to St. Joseph, Missouri, the state's riverboat-gambling history, and Affinity Interactive's regional gaming operations.

St. Jo Frontier Casino emerged during Missouri's first wave of legalized riverboat gambling. William M. Grace opened the casino on June 24, 1994, making it one of the original four casinos to begin operations after Missouri authorized the industry. The first operation used The Spirit of St. Joseph, a tourist riverboat based at Riverside Park immediately west of downtown St. Joseph, beneath the Interstate 229 viaduct. At that stage, the casino could offer card games but did not have authorization for slot machines. The vessel also made river excursions, creating regulatory and jurisdictional questions because the operation was close to Kansas. Missouri voters approved slot machines on November 8, 1994, broadening the state's casino model. The regulatory framework changed again in 1996, when the Missouri Gaming Commission determined that casino boats did not need to cruise the river. Instead, a casino could be located within 1,000 feet of the river if qualifying river water touched the structure. This interpretation produced Missouri's distinctive boats-in-moats model, in which casino buildings designed as riverboats were placed in concrete basins connected to river water. Grace responded by constructing a replacement St. Jo Frontier Casino approximately three miles north of the original site. The project cost $18 million and produced an approximately 18,000-square-foot facility. The opening was delayed when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that voters had to approve the boats-in-moats concept. Voters approved the concept in 1998, clearing the way for the new facility to open. The replacement structure became the basis of the casino's continuing operation. William M. Grace died in 2005. Following his death, Herbst Gaming purchased the St. Joseph property along with Grace casinos in La Grange, Missouri, and Osceola, Iowa. The combined acquisition was valued at $287 million. Herbst invested a further $16 million in renovations at the St. Jo property, adding or improving amenities that included the Bougainvillea restaurant and a live entertainment venue. These additions positioned the casino as more than a gaming floor, linking casino play with food, entertainment, and regional leisure visits. Herbst Gaming changed its name to Affinity Gaming in 2011. In 2021, the company adopted the name Affinity Interactive. The property is therefore part of a corporate gaming portfolio whose ownership identity has changed while the St. Jo Frontier Casino name has remained associated with the St. Joseph location. The casino has historically been one of Missouri's smaller gaming properties. Reported facilities include 556 gaming machines and 11 poker tables. For 2008, the property was reported to have generated $18 million in gross revenue, paid $3 million in taxes, and recorded 579,550 admissions. Those figures are historical and tied specifically to the 2008 reporting period. The casino's historical importance lies in its status as an early Missouri riverboat-gambling operation, its transition from an excursion vessel to a stationary boats-in-moat facility, and its continued role as a regional casino and entertainment venue in St. Joseph.

• 2021

  Owner rebrands as Affinity Interactive

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  Affinity Gaming changes its corporate name to Affinity Interactive.

• 2011

  Owner rebrands as Affinity Gaming

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  Herbst Gaming changes its corporate name to Affinity Gaming.

• 2005

  Herbst Gaming acquisition

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  Herbst Gaming acquires the casino and two other Grace properties following Grace's death in a transaction valued at $287 million.

• 1998

  Replacement boats-in-moat facility opens

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  After voter approval of the boats-in-moats concept, Grace opens an approximately 18,000-square-foot replacement casino about three miles north of the original site.

• 1996

  Stationary casino interpretation adopted

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  The Missouri Gaming Commission rules that casino boats may remain stationary within 1,000 feet of the river if qualifying river water touches them.

• 1994

  Casino opens in St. Joseph

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  William M. Grace opens St. Jo Frontier Casino on June 24 as one of Missouri's original four legalized riverboat casinos.

• 1994

  Missouri voters approve slot machines

  [1]St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  A November statewide vote authorizes slot-machine gambling, expanding the potential gaming format for Missouri casinos.

A regional casino and entertainment venue serving St. Joseph and the surrounding Missouri market, with a brand identity rooted in the state's riverboat-casino history.

• Casino gaming · 1994

  Gaming machines

  The casino's principal gaming offer includes hundreds of electronic gaming machines. Historical descriptions list approximately 556 machines, making the gaming floor the central component of the property's customer proposition.

• Table gaming · 1994

  Poker

  St. Jo Frontier Casino has historically operated a poker room with approximately 11 tables. Poker forms a table-game complement to the property's machine-based gaming offer.

• Dining · 2005

  Bougainvillea

  Bougainvillea is a restaurant associated with the renovation program carried out after Herbst Gaming acquired the property. It extends the casino's offer beyond gaming into on-site dining.

• Entertainment · 2005

  Live entertainment venue

  A live entertainment venue was included among the amenities added or improved during Herbst Gaming's post-acquisition renovation investment, supporting the casino's role as a regional leisure destination.

• 2005

  Acquisition by Herbst GamingM&A

  Background

  William M. Grace died in 2005, after which his casino holdings were sold.

  Action taken

  Herbst Gaming acquired St. Jo Frontier Casino together with Grace casinos in La Grange, Missouri, and Osceola, Iowa.

  Aftermath

  The property entered a larger regional casino portfolio and received approximately $16 million in renovation investment, including dining and live-entertainment amenities.

  Acquisition value for three properties. $287 million (2005)

  Source

• 1998

  Move from excursion riverboat to boats-in-moat facilityGeneration change

  Background

  Missouri's evolving casino regulations allowed qualifying casinos to remain stationary near the river, but voter approval was required for the boats-in-moats model.

  Action taken

  William M. Grace built an approximately $18 million replacement facility about three miles north of the original location and opened it after voters approved the structure concept.

  Aftermath

  The new facility became the continuing St. Jo Frontier Casino operation and replaced the original excursion-oriented riverboat format.

  Construction cost. $18 million (1998)

  Source

1. 1St. Jo Frontier Casinoen.wikipedia.org