Rock Rapids, Iowa — The winnings hauled in by government subdivisions in Lyon County are the biggest they have been yet, according to the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation.
Grants for the second quarter of 2021 given to cities ranged from nearly $17,500 for the county’s smallest city of Alvord to nearly $21,000 for Rock Rapids — the biggest city in the county. The three county public school districts — George-Little Rock, Central Lyon, and West Lyon each received a little over $57,000. And Lyon County government got a little over $24,000 this quarter.
According to Riverboat Foundation President Randy Waagmeester, since the reopening of Grand Falls Casino over a year ago, revenues have been good to substantially increased. He says it appears that the public is looking to get out of the house after dealing with the pandemic.
The foundation is the non-profit license holder for the Grand Falls Casino near Larchwood. State law mandates a certain percentage of the casino’s gaming take has to go back to the community. The agreement between the casino and the non-profit stipulates that for the first $20 million the casino collects in gambling winnings in a year, they will give the foundation 4.5 percent. When they get up to $20 million, the percentage goes up to 4.75 percent; and when they get up to $30 million, it goes to 5 percent.
The Lyon County Riverboat Foundation is set up to give half of the money in grants to county government subdivisions and schools, and the other half in a competitive grant process to non-profit projects.
The non-competitive grant program that gives grants to the cities, county government, and public schools in the county was established by the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation ten years ago this June.
| Entity | Q1 2021 | Q2 2021 | Since Inception | ||
| Alvord | $17,480 | $21,277 | $530,371 | ||
| Doon | $18,046 | $21,964 | $549,798 | ||
| George | $18,793 | $22,874 | $574,182 | ||
| Inwood | $18,398 | $22,393 | $558,202 | ||
| Larchwood | $18,474 | $22,487 | $560,540 | ||
| Lester | $17,626 | $21,454 | $534,848 | ||
| Little Rock | $17,870 | $21,752 | $542,214 | ||
| Rock Rapids | $20,973 | $25,528 | $636,334 | ||
| Lyon County | $24,234 | $29,497 | $735,286 | ||
| Central Lyon CSD | $57,301 | $69,743 | $1,738,466 | ||
| George-Little Rock CSD | $57,301 | $69,743 | $1,738,466 | ||
| West Lyon CSD | $57,301 | $69,743 | $1,738,466 | ||
| TOTALS | $343,797 | $418,455 | $10,437,137 |
