“Casino backers make pitch for licenses - Cedar Rapids Gazette” plus 2 more |
- Casino backers make pitch for licenses - Cedar Rapids Gazette
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- CASINO PITCH: They already have the support of the ... - WHO-TV
| Casino backers make pitch for licenses - Cedar Rapids Gazette Posted: 23 Mar 2010 03:48 PM PDT Casino backers make pitch for licensesPosted on Mar 23, 2010 by charlotteeby. JOHNSTON – Four communities hoping to land a gaming license allowing them to open new casinos pitched the promise of new jobs and revitalized local economies if they are selected. Leaders from Lyon, Tama, Webster and Wapello counties laid out their formal proposals Tuesday to members of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, which will make a decision on licenses this spring. The applicants used slickly-produced videos with testimony from local officials and residents about what a casino would mean for their communities. Detailed drawings showed what their casinos would look like if they are allowed to break ground. Lyon and Wapello counties made a statement by bringing supporters wearing brightly colored shirts to support their projects. The Lyon County group came dressed in lime-green shirts with slogans such as "700 Good Jobs" and "Lyon County = Opportunity." Lyon County leaders stressed their proposed location just six miles from Sioux Falls, S.D., and close to the Minnesota border is part of an underserved market and would mean more than 80 percent of their casino's revenue would come from outside Iowa. Designers of the casino proposal detailed its upscale amenities, including a golf course and luxury finishes, while local leaders talked about the jobs it would mean for the area. Jeff Gallagher, president of the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation, said 1,500 residents leave every day to work somewhere else. "We look forward to the opportunity of having nearly 700 jobs in Lyon County where those people can find work and stay in Lyon County, be close to their families and close to their residences," Gallagher said. Tama Mayor Chris Bearden said community support for another casino in Tama County is enormous and that the increased tourism and jobs would help the local unemployment rate. The county already is home to the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel. "An addition of a casino will help Tama to continue to grow and prosper," Bearden said. John Pavone, president of Signature Management Group, called the project the right size and right fit for Tama County, providing new opportunities for residents. "With your vote, Tama County can begin a new era of economic prosperity in a time when all of Iowa is suffering under economic distress," Pavone told the commission. Pat Leiting, a local investor for the proposed Fort Dodge casino, said their proposal was a solid plan for economic success. He said the casino will act as an anchor for future development. "It's about the preservation of our community. With your help, we will set Fort Dodge on a path of economic prosperity, witnessed by so many other communities throughout the state," Leiting told the commission. Backers of the proposed Ottumwa casino emphasized its downtown location next to the Bridge View Center, a convention facility, as well as a theater and water park. The proximity to Missouri was also touted as a benefit to draw out-of-state gamblers. Commission Chairman Greg Seyfer of Cedar Rapids called the presentations a first step that allowed applicants to expand upon the information they provided in their applications. "This is the beginning of the process," Seyfer said. He said they have not made any conclusions on what they saw Tuesday. "There's still a lot of information for us to gather," Seyfer said. Commissioners are scheduled to make visits of the proposed sites next month. A public hearing is scheduled for May 4 in Johnston. The commission is expected to make a final decision during a public meeting on May 13, also in Johnston. Gov. Chet Culver already has weighed in on the decision, urging the five-member commission to issue licenses for proposed casinos in all four counties. The proposals before the committee: Tama County Prairie Hills Resort, Hotel and Casino Location: on Highway 30 bypass near Tama Casino: 500 slot machines, 18 table games Amenities: 80-room hotel, regionally themed restaurant and sports bar entertainment area, 500-seat conference center, outdoor amphitheater, upscale recreation vehicle park with executive clubhouse, motors sports complex Jobs created: Estimated at 300-400 Webster County Diamond Jo Fort Dodge Location: At the intersection of Highway 20 and 169 Casino: 600 slot machines, 20 table games, five poker tables Amenities: hotel, event center, multi-use arena Jobs created: 350 Lyon County Lyon County Resort & Casino Location: Along Highway 9 near the South Dakota border Casino: 900 gaming machines, 24 table games Amenities: restaurants, bar, 100-room hotel, 1,200 seat event center, convention center, show lounge, spa, meeting rooms, retail outlets, indoor/outdoor terraced resort pool, 18-hole golf course Jobs created: More than 700 Wapello County Rippling Waters Casino Location: Downtown Ottumwa riverfront, adjacent to Bridge View Center Casino: 625 gaming machines, 10 table games Amenties: 100-plus hotel rooms, two food venues Jobs created: 367 full-time casino jobs Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. 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| Final Build Advice <1200 budget Gaming PC - Toms Hardware Posted: 23 Mar 2010 02:15 PM PDT Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| CASINO PITCH: They already have the support of the ... - WHO-TV Posted: 23 Mar 2010 03:05 PM PDT Four counties want to add four casinos to the state's 17 state casino total Four Iowa counties made their pitch for a casino Tuesday, hoping to cash in on what they say would be tens of millions of dollars in revenue. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission heard from representatives of four Iowa communities vying for new gaming licenses. The four contending counties are Tama, Webster, Wapello and Lyon. The Governor has already put his support behind all four casinos. The final decision is made by the Gaming Commission. All four counties say the licenses are about more than just a casino. Iowa is already home to 17 state casinos. Today, counties are hoping to add four more to the list. "This is the perfect fit for Tama County. We want to work with the Meskwaki tribe to grow the market and draw more conventions and more visitors that would benefit everyone in Tama County," says John Pavone of the Signature Management Group of Iowa. Pavone isn't worried that there's already a casino in Tama County. He thinks his casino will make $135 million in the first five years, even with the Meskwaki casino just down the road. Bus loads of Tama residents showed up to support his message "Since we already have one, two or more will have a synergetic effect that everyone will benefit from," says Tama resident Steve Burr. Burr rode in on a school bus with about one hundred other Tama residents to tell the Racing Commission how much his town needs this casino. The recession has hit Tama hard, and the casino would bring about 300 much needed jobs. "It's the right fit it's the right size it's the right project. The community has been behind this project for almost five years and it's very strong," says Pavone. The state is in a financial crunch as well. The four casinos say they're ready to step in and help the state cash in. "This is business that makes sense for the community and for the state. Frankly, I think it's a win-win situation," says Brent Stevens of Peninsula Gaming. Some casinos are placing a strong bet on their chances while others are relying on lady luck. "We hope at the end of the day we told our story to convince them that Tama is the right country to be a recipient. We're crossing our fingers and see what happens." We asked the board how many licenses it would grant. Members say it depends on how economically sound each project is. The board could refuse all licenses, approve a few, or grant all four. Copyright © 2010, WHO-TV Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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