Hunter
05/24/22
State legislators passed a moratorium on the issuance of new casino licenses for two years on Monday, leaving Cedar Rapids civic leaders and investors in the lurch.
The moratorium seemingly came out of nowhere, and passed 35-11 in the Senate and 60-23 in the House. If Governor Reynolds signs the bill into law, the earliest Cedar Rapids could make their third attempt at getting a casino would be July 2024.
The Gazette says that Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell called the vote “incredibly disappointing,” noting that the city didn’t get the chance to respond to the legislation. She said the voters wanted a casino, and a lot of time, money and effort has been put into making that happen.
The Iowa Gaming Association supported the moratorium.
Linn County Gaming Association President Anne Parmley called it an act clearly targeting Linn County. She said the moratorium will impact local nonprofits that need support and could benefit from the 8% that has been promised through the net gaming revenue of a new entertainment and gaming center.
Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton chairs the committee that passed the broader law on gaming and regulations that the moratorium was part of. He says the casino market in the state is saturated and is concerned about the impact more casinos would have on the non-profits that benefit from the gaming receipts.
The group of investors pushing for a casino in Linn County say as long as they remain patient, the outcome will be positive.