Pinnacle to add hotel to St. Louis casino

ST. LOUIS, Missouri -- Pinnacle Entertainment will spend $82 million to a 200-room hotel tower, an event center and covered parking to its River City Casino in suburban St. Louis.

The Las Vegas-based regional casino operator hopes to complete the project by the second half of 2013.

River City, which does not have a hotel, opened in March 2010. Pinnacle also operates Lumiere Place in downtown St. Louis, which is located near the city’s famous arch.

In addition to the hotel tower, the events center will have 10,000 square feet while the parking garage will have 1,700 spaces.

“The addition of a hotel tower will help to establish River City as a regional gaming destination, as opposed to a day-trip facility,” JP Morgan gaming analyst Joe Greff told investors.