Altoona, Iowa — The state Racing and Gaming Commission plans to hold a meeting Friday to work out a timeline for dealing with requests for a new gambling license.
They discussed the issue Monday at their first meeting since the legislature’s two-year moratorium on new licenses expired. Racing and Gaming administrator, Tina Eick, says a market study is one of the first steps.
Eick says the state requires a 30-day period to take proposals for the study, so it is not known when there could be a vote on a license.
The Linn County Gaming Association has a proposal for a casino on the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids that has been on hold since the moratorium two years ago. Eick says she doesn’t know of any other casino proposals out there, and it’s not something that can be quickly thrown together.
Eick says all those involved in the proposal would also have to undergo a DCI background investigation before moving forward. The IRGC will hold an online meeting Friday at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the timeline for considering any new licenses.
The CEO of Grand Falls Casino near Larchwood, Dan Kehl of Elite Casino Resorts, has criticized a potential casino in Cedar Rapids, saying it would make casinos like Elite’s in Riverside less profitable.
