Communities pitch casino plans
By Charlotte Eby Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Thursday, March 24, 2005
JOHNSTON -- Riverboat casino developers and community leaders pulled out all the stops Wednesday to convince members of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission they deserve one of the coveted state gaming licenses that will be handed out later this spring.
Commissioners spent all day Wednesday listening to presentations, capping two days worth of hearings from 10 groups.
Some presenters used animation and slickly produced videos to bring the vision of their projects to life, and community members came in droves from across the state to show their support for hometown casinos.
With tens of millions of dollars of revenue at stake each year, the applicants stressed how their casinos would boost local economies through tourism, new jobs, spin-off development and contributions to local charities. The commission has not said how many projects will get licenses.
Dozens of Worth County residents crowded into the meeting room to support their project, all wearing lime green shirts.
Dan Hendrikson, an auto parts store owner in Northwood, has come to Des Moines several times to lobby for expanding gambling for Worth County. He said the rural county has few other avenues for boosting revenue and incomes and said the proximity to the Minnesota border could draw out-of-state dollars.
"We're doing our best to make this thing work, and we're just keeping our fingers crossed that it happens," he said.
Kim Miller, one of Worth County's key organizers, stressed the support a casino would provide to local schools, businesses and communities.
"We knew this was so important for not only Worth County now, but for our future and our children's future," Miller said.
A large share of revenues would go to local school districts and to scholarships for local graduates. Some would go to local governments, non-profit groups and regional economic development efforts.
Karen Mitchell, executive director of the Franklin County Development Association, said she believes that county's chances of landing a license are promising.
They laid out plans for the Landmark Hotel & Casino, a multi-level riverboat situated on a man-made lake that would include a 120-room themed hotel.
"I think our prospects are very, very good, because we are offering just the kind of project the state wants, assuming they buy into the argument that the rural areas deserve a shot at this kind of thing as well," Mitchell said.
Their proposal would devote a portion of gaming revenues to economic development projects in Franklin County and its neighbors, spreading dollars to nearby Cerro Gordo, Butler, Hardin and Wright counties.
"We recognize the importance of partnering with our neighbors and getting that collective mass going," Mitchell said.
Commission chairwoman Diane Hamilton was impressed with the proposals and said it would be a tough decision.
"All the presentations are just awesome," she said.
Hamilton, who lives in Storm Lake, could empathize with the rural communities looking for an economic boost.
"I belong to a community just like a lot of these. We are struggling with a lot of issues," she said.
Presenters were kept to a strict a 45-minute time limit and commissioners were not allowed to ask questions. The commissioners will have a chance to see the proposed sites during a two-day bus tour next month.
They'll take a final vote on May 11 at a meeting in Johnston, after a public hearing the week before.
The proposals offered casino projects full of amenities, including hotels, convention centers, restaurants, entertainment venues and retail areas.
Economic development was also the theme for backers of a Webster County casino. They detailed the loss of jobs and residents from the area over the decades.
Developers of the proposed Mineral City Hotel & Casino in downtown Ft. Dodge argued their project could help revive the area economy and said they wanted to make that happen as soon as possible.
They would open an interim facility this fall until a permanent facility could be ready. The interim casino, which would be built on land, would later be turned into a community aquatic and recreation center.
"Everybody's hoping that we're going to have this casino, but we know that it's two years away, and this is just another way to get it started much sooner," said Steve Daniel, who is the local board of directors for the casino.
Developers of the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Washington County near the city of Riverside, pitched their resort as the "ultimate eastern Iowa destination."
The project features an 18-hole golf course by renowned designer Rees Jones and a hotel and convention center that includes a "white tablecloth" steakhouse.
Jones told commissioners he wants to build a world-class course at the Riverside resort.
The National Cattle Congress and Meskwaki tribe are teaming up on a project that would revive the closed Waterloo Greyhound Park. The tribe already operates a casino on their Tama County settlement.
They say the casino could be open as soon as 2006 since part of its infrastructure already exists. It is one of three casinos proposed in Waterloo.
Two casino projects from Emmetsburg and one project in Ottumwa are also seeking licenses.
Charlotte Eby can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.
Commissioners spent all day Wednesday listening to presentations, capping two days worth of hearings from 10 groups.
Some presenters used animation and slickly produced videos to bring the vision of their projects to life, and community members came in droves from across the state to show their support for hometown casinos.
With tens of millions of dollars of revenue at stake each year, the applicants stressed how their casinos would boost local economies through tourism, new jobs, spin-off development and contributions to local charities. The commission has not said how many projects will get licenses.
Dozens of Worth County residents crowded into the meeting room to support their project, all wearing lime green shirts.
Dan Hendrikson, an auto parts store owner in Northwood, has come to Des Moines several times to lobby for expanding gambling for Worth County. He said the rural county has few other avenues for boosting revenue and incomes and said the proximity to the Minnesota border could draw out-of-state dollars.
"We're doing our best to make this thing work, and we're just keeping our fingers crossed that it happens," he said.
Kim Miller, one of Worth County's key organizers, stressed the support a casino would provide to local schools, businesses and communities.
"We knew this was so important for not only Worth County now, but for our future and our children's future," Miller said.
A large share of revenues would go to local school districts and to scholarships for local graduates. Some would go to local governments, non-profit groups and regional economic development efforts.
Karen Mitchell, executive director of the Franklin County Development Association, said she believes that county's chances of landing a license are promising.
They laid out plans for the Landmark Hotel & Casino, a multi-level riverboat situated on a man-made lake that would include a 120-room themed hotel.
"I think our prospects are very, very good, because we are offering just the kind of project the state wants, assuming they buy into the argument that the rural areas deserve a shot at this kind of thing as well," Mitchell said.
Their proposal would devote a portion of gaming revenues to economic development projects in Franklin County and its neighbors, spreading dollars to nearby Cerro Gordo, Butler, Hardin and Wright counties.
"We recognize the importance of partnering with our neighbors and getting that collective mass going," Mitchell said.
Commission chairwoman Diane Hamilton was impressed with the proposals and said it would be a tough decision.
"All the presentations are just awesome," she said.
Hamilton, who lives in Storm Lake, could empathize with the rural communities looking for an economic boost.
"I belong to a community just like a lot of these. We are struggling with a lot of issues," she said.
Presenters were kept to a strict a 45-minute time limit and commissioners were not allowed to ask questions. The commissioners will have a chance to see the proposed sites during a two-day bus tour next month.
They'll take a final vote on May 11 at a meeting in Johnston, after a public hearing the week before.
The proposals offered casino projects full of amenities, including hotels, convention centers, restaurants, entertainment venues and retail areas.
Economic development was also the theme for backers of a Webster County casino. They detailed the loss of jobs and residents from the area over the decades.
Developers of the proposed Mineral City Hotel & Casino in downtown Ft. Dodge argued their project could help revive the area economy and said they wanted to make that happen as soon as possible.
They would open an interim facility this fall until a permanent facility could be ready. The interim casino, which would be built on land, would later be turned into a community aquatic and recreation center.
"Everybody's hoping that we're going to have this casino, but we know that it's two years away, and this is just another way to get it started much sooner," said Steve Daniel, who is the local board of directors for the casino.
Developers of the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Washington County near the city of Riverside, pitched their resort as the "ultimate eastern Iowa destination."
The project features an 18-hole golf course by renowned designer Rees Jones and a hotel and convention center that includes a "white tablecloth" steakhouse.
Jones told commissioners he wants to build a world-class course at the Riverside resort.
The National Cattle Congress and Meskwaki tribe are teaming up on a project that would revive the closed Waterloo Greyhound Park. The tribe already operates a casino on their Tama County settlement.
They say the casino could be open as soon as 2006 since part of its infrastructure already exists. It is one of three casinos proposed in Waterloo.
Two casino projects from Emmetsburg and one project in Ottumwa are also seeking licenses.
Charlotte Eby can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.
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vicadin wrote on Nov 20, 2007 2:35 AM: