Cedar Rapids, Iowa — The leader of the group pushing for a casino license for Cedar Rapids says that they are not giving up. Linn County Gaming Association board president Anne Parmley says the group had hoped the governor would not sign the bill that puts licenses on hold.
The bill the governor signed Friday freezes casino licenses at 19 for the next two years. Parmley’s group had artist renderings of the facility done and was preparing for the license approval process to start.
Parmley says they’ll continue working on their plan and keep supporters up to date.
The Republican leader in the Iowa Senate, Jack Whitver, said “gaming fatigue” led lawmakers to the temporary moratorium as they want to see how things shake out. Parmley says the gambling competition with the border states of Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Illinois is one of the things that could be an impact in the next two years. And the concern will remain about how a Cedar Rapids casino impacts existing casinos. She expects another study to look at that issue.
Parmley says the moratorium is disappointing. However, they have to move forward.
The license moratorium will expire in July of 2024.
