River City Casino Has Surprisingly Good Pedestrian Access Route
River City Casino, located in south St. Louis County, opened for business two years ago yesterday. I’d visited the site in 2010 shortly after it opened but last week I visited again — this time as a pedestrian. I knew from my prior visit in my car they’d done a good job with sidewalks but I wanted to experience it first hand.
The #40 Broadway MetroBus I took ends at the Catalan Loop in far south St. Louis. According to Google Maps, the walk to the casino from the transit center is one mile. Many places I seek to visit using my power chair can’t manage to connect just 50 feet to the door so I was still a bit skeptical.
Overall I was highly impressed by what could have been a pedestrian’s nightmare, like Loughborough Commons. Good pedestrian circulation, just like vehicular circulation, doesn’t happen by accident. Someone made pedestrian access a high priority. Perhaps River City’s owner, Pinnacle Entertainment, was sued because of poor ADA access at another location? Or the professional design firm(s) included it as a design priority? Or St. Louis County required River City to plan for pedestrians in addition to cars? However it came to be, this shows good pedestrian access is possible when planned in advance. You can view an aerial image here.
Hopefully the pedestrian network will serve them well as they expand this year:
Construction works are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2012 with an expected completion in the second half of 2013. The new expansion at the Missouri casino will add a 200-room hotel, a 10,000 square-foot multi-purpose event center and a covered parking structure with capacity for approximately 1,700 vehicles. Additionally, the $82 million project will create nearly 100 permanent jobs and 350 construction-related jobs. (Source)
I’ll return next year after the new work is completed to see if hotel guests can walk to/from the casino via sidewalks.
– Steve Patterson
While I couldn’t say for sure, I think the high level of pedestrian access is client-driven. Casinos are very smart and let no stone go unturned when it comes to enhancing their customers experience — no matter who they are. They understand the importance of people — whether driving a car or not — getting into their facility. It directly translates into dollars.Also, making people (lots of OLDER people) comfortable getting from their cars to the front door is going to be a very high priority. Pinnacle has made a significant investment in that property because they know in the long-run it translates into revenue. If only every developer understood the power of simply making it easier (and more pleasant) for EVERYONE (not just those in cars) to access their services.
While I couldn’t say for sure, I think the high level of pedestrian access is client-driven. Casinos are very smart and let no stone go unturned when it comes to enhancing their customers experience — no matter who they are. They understand the importance of people — whether driving a car or not — getting into their facility. It directly translates into dollars.Also, making people (lots of OLDER people) comfortable getting from their cars to the front door is going to be a very high priority. Pinnacle has made a significant investment in that property because they know in the long-run it translates into revenue. If only every developer understood the power of simply making it easier (and more pleasant) for EVERYONE (not just those in cars) to access their services.
Good points!
I think that’s a big assumption which may not hold in every place. Motor City Casino in Detroit is a pedestrian disaster. We shouldn’t speculate until we see some plans.
Or, less charitably: casino visitors are disproportionately low-income and without cars, so it is more necessary than usual (from a business perspective) to provide pedestrian access.
There is a bike rack on the West side of the building on the South Lot. It was set up per employee request and is used from a few employees on a daily basis. I will put a request for one in a comment box. They do seem very receptive to requests like these.
I, and other employees, wish that Metro would have the Broadway 40 turn into River City. I am sure that more staff would take the bus if they didn’t get dropped off at Broadway.
There is a bike rack on the West side of the building on the South Lot. It was set up per employee request and is used from a few employees on a daily basis. I will put a request for one in a comment box. They do seem very receptive to requests like these.
I, and other employees, wish that Metro would have the Broadway 40 turn into River City. I am sure that more staff would take the bus if they didn’t get dropped off at Broadway.
How would a bicyclist arriving at the casino know where to find a place to secure their bike? A simple inverted-U race visible at the main entry is needed.
Good points!
How would a bicyclist arriving at the casino know where to find a place to secure their bike? A simple inverted-U race visible at the main entry is needed.
I would be amazed if more than 20 people per year walked or biked to the Casino to gamble. Â Once you get there, the place is pretty nice. Â But it’s sort of on an island, a mile or so away from everything. Â
I would be amazed if more than 20 people per year walked or biked to the Casino to gamble. Once you get there, the place is pretty nice. But it’s sort of on an island, a mile or so away from everything. Not everyone has a car you know.
I’d be curious to know how many employees and customers arrive on foot or two wheels.
Probably not many. I cycle every day would never bike to a casnio nor for nice dinner or a date. Cycling doesn’t work for every trip!
I’d be curious to know how many employees and customers arrive on foot or two wheels.
When you were there, were there any bikes parked or people walking to or from the site?
When you were there, were there any bikes parked or people walking to or from the site?
I did see a cyclist leaving as I entered. But it’s easy to spend 15 minutes observing and say no pedestrians exist, but a longer study over hours & days might reveal a very different picture.
I did see a cyclist leaving as I entered. But it’s easy to spend 15 minutes observing and say no pedestrians exist, but a longer study over hours & days might reveal a very different picture.
if they stick to anything like their original model, which i expect they will, the phase 2 expansion with the hotel and garage won’t need sidewalk access, as they’ll be connected directly. Â See this older photo of the pre-construction model and compare it to the overhead view of what has been built (http://g.co/maps/53dyk) and you can see exactly how it will all fit together.
if they stick to anything like their original model, which i expect they will, the phase 2 expansion with the hotel and garage won’t need sidewalk access, as they’ll be connected directly. See this older photo of the pre-construction model and compare it to the overhead view of what has been built (http://g.co/maps/53dyk) and you can see exactly how it will all fit together.
I think that’s a big assumption which may not hold in every place. Motor City Casino in Detroit is a pedestrian disaster. We shouldn’t speculate until we see some plans.
Probably not many. I cycle every day would never bike to a casnio nor for nice dinner or a date. Cycling doesn’t work for every trip!
Well we certainly don’t want anything coming between the handicapped/pedestrians and their wallet not would we?
Well we certainly don’t want anything coming between the handicapped/pedestrians and their wallet not would we?
 Or, less charitably: casino visitors are disproportionately low-income and without cars, so it is more necessary than usual (from a business perspective) to provide pedestrian access.