River City Casino Brings Gaming Excitement, New Dining and Nightlife Experiences to South St. Louis County

ST. LOUIS, March 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- River City Casino, the first casino complex in south St. Louis County, opened its doors at 2 p.m. today, bringing a new level of gaming action, tempting restaurants and sizzling nightlife to the area. The casino, owned by Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: PNK), represents an investment of approximately $380 million, one of the largest private investments in the St. Louis region.

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River City Casino welcomed the public with a lively atmosphere that echoes the look and feel of a Missouri riverboat town at the peak of the steamboat trade on the Mississippi River -- historical, yet fresh and new.  Hundreds of eager visitors got their first glimpse of River City's 90,000-square-foot casino featuring more than 2,100 of the most popular slot machines, from classic favorites to the latest new games. Dozens of lucky guests became the first to officially try their luck at River City's table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat and poker -- from Let It Ride to Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em and Pai Gow.

During the opening ceremony, a festive procession of vintage cars and the world-famous Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale horses led the way along River City Casino Boulevard to the main entrance. Thousands of attendees and local dignitaries were welcomed by Richard Goeglein, Pinnacle's interim chairman of the board; John Giovenco, Pinnacle's interim chief executive officer; and Todd George, vice president-St. Louis and general manager of River City.

"We think that River City is a completely new kind of experience for St. Louis," Mr. George said. "We believe this amazing property will help to grow the local gaming market. With the support of our 3,000 employees at our St. Louis properties, we're confident that Pinnacle will continue to contribute significantly to our communities and the State of Missouri. We're excited about Pinnacle's future in St. Louis."

River City's expansive casino offers guests the latest in comfort and amenities. Slots and table games feature adjustable, ergonomic chairs, and extra-wide aisles provide easy access around the gaming floor. While smoking is permitted on the casino floor, state-of-the-art "smoke curtains" use constant streams of air to quickly pull smoke away from guests and employees.

For members of Pinnacle's mychoice (sm) rewards program, River City offers yet another fun place to play and earn points for an exciting range of benefits, including dining privileges, priority line access and other amenities. Choice Cash earned at River City can be redeemed at its sister properties, Lumiere Place and the President Casino in downtown St. Louis.

At River City's distinctive restaurants and lounges, diners enjoyed a range of cuisines and libations in unique settings. Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse offers an incomparable selection of USDA Prime dry-aged steaks, a fresh sushi/raw bar, and a wine list featuring more than 500 different selections from around the world in a visually stunning atmosphere.

"I'm delighted to be in St. Louis. I've been living here for many months as this project developed, and I feel like I'm in Cincinnati, the two cities are so similar," said Jeff Ruby, who hails from Cincinnati, where his flagship Steakhouse restaurant operations are based. "The people are so friendly and the employees are terrific. It's a wonderful city to have a restaurant in."

In a nod to Western Europe's classic beer halls, the 1904 Beerhouse features more than 100 beers by the bottle and 32 on tap, including River City's own 1904 Brewhouse Ale, custom-blended by the brewmasters at Anheuser-Busch.  Burger Brothers is River City's spin on the classic "burger joint," with each specialty burger cooked to order using the highest-quality, freshest ingredients.

The Great Food Exposition offers buffet dining on a grand scale, featuring an abundant menu of Italian, American, Asian and seafood favorites along with rotisserie-grilled meats carved fresh on an authentic Brazilian-style Rodizio Grill. Lewy Nine's Cafe presents cafe classics in a setting that offers an irreverent retro-twist to the classic '50s diner, with a decidedly playful nod to King Louis IX of France. Judy's Velvet Lounge is the epicenter of River City's nightlife scene, offering a menu of bar food with signature drinks, live entertainment, special events and DJs. BarCentral, at the heart of the casino floor, mixes hot bar-top slots and cool drinks to create a lively social centerpiece.    

"Having grown up in St. Louis, I know that people in the Midwest have an understanding and passion for simple, great-tasting food," said Executive Outlet Chef William Gideon. "I have used my many years of experience to create a menu that takes basic home-style favorites to a whole new level. Our restaurants offer hearty portions, artfully displayed, at great prices."

River City, located on approximately 56 acres in the community of Lemay, sits just to the south of the confluence of the Mississippi River and the River des Peres. The complex sits on the site of the long-abandoned National Lead facility, which was environmentally remediated to accommodate the new casino complex. As part of the development, Pinnacle invested nearly $24 million to build the new River City Casino Boulevard, which provides a vital east-west link between the I-55 and South Broadway corridors. River City provides parking for more than 3,000 vehicles, as well as convenient valet parking service.  

About River City Casino

River City Casino, which opened in March 2010, is St. Louis' newest gateway to an exciting entertainment experience. Located approximately 10 miles south of downtown St. Louis in the community of Lemay, the approximately $380 million multi-use complex captures the overall look of a Missouri riverboat town at the peak of the steamboat trade on the famed Mississippi River. The first phase of the project includes a 90,000-square-foot casino with more than 2,000 slot machines and approximately 55 table games, including poker, several restaurants, an entertainment venue and other amenities.

River City Casino is the sister property of Lumiere Place, an exciting urban casino hotel complex that opened in downtown St. Louis in December 2007. Employment applications are being accepted at www.jobsatrivercity.com.  River City Casino is located at 777 River City Casino Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63125. Call 314/888-7777 or visit www.rivercity.com for information.

About Pinnacle Entertainment

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. owns and operates casinos in Nevada, Louisiana, Indiana, Missouri and Argentina. In March 2010, Pinnacle opened its newest casino, River City, in south St. Louis County, Missouri. Pinnacle is also developing a second casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to be called Sugarcane Bay at L'Auberge du Lac, and a casino in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

All statements included in this press release, other than historical information or statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's River City casino, the potential job creation and potential economic benefits of River City casino for the Company's shareholders, the local community and the State of Missouri, are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that could significantly affect future results. Accordingly, Pinnacle cautions that the forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified by important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected by such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: (a) the Company's business may be sensitive to reductions in consumers' discretionary spending as a result of downtowns in the economy; (b) the global financial crisis may have an impact on the Company's business and financial condition in ways that the Company currently cannot accurately predict; (c) insufficient or lower-than-expected results generated from the Company's new developments and acquired properties may negatively affect the market for the Company's securities; (d) significant competition in the gaming industry in all of the Company's markets could adversely affect the Company's profitability; and (e) other risks, including those as may be detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). For more information on the potential factors that could affect the Company's financial results and business, review the Company's filings with the SEC, including, but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K.

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer committed to responsible gaming.

River City, Lumiere Place, President Casino and Sugarcane Bay at L'Auberge du Lac, are registered trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment, In. All rights reserved.

SOURCE River City Casino