The Racing and Gaming Commission spent several hours listening to four proposals for new casinos Tuesday — but the chair of the commission says the presentations haven’t moved them toward any decision yet.
The presentations from the four casino groups in Lyon, Wapello, Tama County and Webster counties used upbeat music, power point displays along with videos and testimonials, to tout the locations for their proposed casinos. Some had supporters show up in brightly colored t-shirts with slogans backing their plan. Racing and Gaming commission chair Greg Seyfer of Cedar Rapids says there won’t be any conclusions based upon what they saw.
Seyfer says the commission has seen much of the information already in the written applications for licenses and the presentations were simply a way for the groups to expand on them. He says it’s the first step in a six-week process as they move toward a decision on May 13th. Seyfer would only say the presentations are good start to the process.
Seyfer say’s the next step is to visit each proposed casino site next month, and there’ll then be a public hearing on May 3rd. The commission held a closed meeting after the presentations to get an update on the financial background checks for each of the ownership groups. The commission plans on a final vote on May 13th.
Radio Iowa’s Dar Danielson reports: Danielson report :63 MP3