News: Park machines considered for illegality

Posted at 5:32 PM EDT (2132 GMT)

Jun. 18th, 2004 -- Authorities had three possibly illegal gaming machines removed from Celebration City Amusement Park, in Springfield, Missouri, after an anonymous complaint last Friday.

Celebration City opened in August of 2003 and contains 47 arcade games. The removed machines contained tokens but players won tickets they could redeem for prizes.

The amusement park was possibly targeted because Herschend Family Entertainment Corp., which owns Celebration City, Vice President Peter Herschend opposed a proposal for casino which would be 15 miles to the east, said other park machine owners. The casino would also feature an arcade for families.

Under Missouri law, local gaming is regulated by local authorities, said Mike Bushman, general council of the Missouri Gaming Commission, which regulates licensed casinos in the state.

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