The Chairman of the State Racing and Gaming Commission says he’s concerned about what the sale of the President Riverboat will mean to gambling in eastern Iowa. Isle of Capri Casinos of Biloxi, Mississippi, announced an agreement Wednesday to buy the Davenport-based President for just over 58-million dollars. Isle of Capri just recently bought the riverboat casino in Bettendorf — which raises a concern for Commission Chairman Bill Hansen.Hansen says it raises the concern that one of the Isle of Capri’s facilities could be eliminated to avoid antitrust concerns. The gambling licenses for the Davenport and Bettendorf boats are held by non-profit organizations which then contract with for-profit managers to run the facilities. Hansen says keeping both non-profit organizations intact would ease concerns over the sale of the President.Hansen says the Racing and Gaming Commission will review the sale closely to see how it might impact the Bettendorf boat.The sale of the President could come before the Racing and Gaming Commission for its initial presentation next month. The Isle of Capri also owns the riverboat casino in Marquette.
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