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NCC still optimistic about casino despite lost endorsement
By TIM JAMISON, Courier Staff Writer
WATERLOO --- Supporters of the proposed Black Hawk County Greyhound Park and Casino believe a misunderstanding was largely to blame for them failing to get an endorsement from the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance.
The board of the Alliance, a countywide economic development organization, voted Tuesday to endorse the proposed Isle of Capri Casino near Lost Island Adventurepark and the downtown Cedar Landing Hotel and Casino, and will urge the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to pick just one of those projects to receive a gaming license.
University of Northern Iowa President Robert Koob, who chairs the Alliance board, said the endorsement was "not unanimous, but overwhelming" and was based upon a study by Wells Gaming Research, of Reno, Nev., which the Alliance hired to gather and present information about the projects.
"They were each great applications," said Koob, noting the IOC and Cedar Landing projects stood ahead of the pack based on larger job creation, greater taxes returned to the community and a heftier economic impact as detailed in the Wells study.
But Wally Mochal, president of the National Cattle Congress, which is seeking to build a casino at the former greyhound park, said the consultants failed to use the complete information contained in the NCC's application in developing the report.
Both Wells and the Alliance said the NCC enhanced the scope of its proposal after filing an application Nov. 10. Because the Racing and Gaming Commission has indicated it would not accept amendments to the initial applications, the consultant's study used the initial data.
Mochal said the NCC did not change the scope of its project, although it did push some items --- from what had been projected in future phases of the development --- into the initial phase.
"We believe they are certainly going to be included in the commission's analysis of our project and it was part of our application," Mochal said. "This is not a change; it is all part of the total envisioned project that we submitted."
Alliance board members did vote to strike from their recommendation a particularly pointed statement in a draft resolution, which indicated the NCC would use most of its revenues to improve the organization's fairgrounds and pay off debt to the Meskwaki Indian tribe, which had bailed the NCC out of bankruptcy in the 1990s.
That will not be in the final draft delivered to the Racing and Gaming Commission.
Mochal said the NCC would repay the tribal debt out of its 20 percent share of the operating profits, while the tribe forgives all the interest. But he said none of the estimated $6 million in property tax relief, development projects and charitable donations countywide would be diverted to the Meskwakis or the fairgrounds.
Mochal also believes the lack of a hotel at the proposed NCC casino hurt the project in the jobs and economic impact areas. But he said the decision not to build a hotel at this point was driven by the current hotel occupancy rates being below 60 percent.
"We're not surprised by the alliance stand on the other casinos, but we are disappointed," he said. "We're glad our business community recognizes that a riverboat casino is good for Waterloo, and we think the ultimate decision will be made by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission."
Alliance vote a step forward
Gary Hoyer, project manager for the proposed Cedar Landing development, was encouraged by the alliance's decision.
"It proves that we have a quality product that will do many things for the community," Hoyer said. "We are convinced that we can do it better and have a more significant positive impact.
"Frankly, I think the members of the community, privately, would agree," he said. "It's difficult when you have people on both sides of the issue, but I am confident that the local ownership (of the Cedar Landing project) will win the day with the commission."
Alliance President Steve Dust said the gaming study and endorsement was a significant step for the organization, which formed just over a year ago.
"This is one of the first times the alliance ... has stepped forward and said we're speaking with one voice," he said. "We believe that's going to be effective when we deliver our message to the Racing and Gaming Commission later this spring."
Dust also had praise for all of the community leaders working on the three proposals.
"All of these organizations are highly respected in our community," he said. "We appreciate what they're doing in the Cedar Valley."
The casino, if a license is awarded, is expected to be the ninth- or 10th-largest employer in the county.
"This is going to be a significant economic project within our economic base," Dust said. "It's very important to us without being dominant."
Tim Jamison can be contacted at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.
The board of the Alliance, a countywide economic development organization, voted Tuesday to endorse the proposed Isle of Capri Casino near Lost Island Adventurepark and the downtown Cedar Landing Hotel and Casino, and will urge the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to pick just one of those projects to receive a gaming license.
University of Northern Iowa President Robert Koob, who chairs the Alliance board, said the endorsement was "not unanimous, but overwhelming" and was based upon a study by Wells Gaming Research, of Reno, Nev., which the Alliance hired to gather and present information about the projects.
"They were each great applications," said Koob, noting the IOC and Cedar Landing projects stood ahead of the pack based on larger job creation, greater taxes returned to the community and a heftier economic impact as detailed in the Wells study.
But Wally Mochal, president of the National Cattle Congress, which is seeking to build a casino at the former greyhound park, said the consultants failed to use the complete information contained in the NCC's application in developing the report.
Both Wells and the Alliance said the NCC enhanced the scope of its proposal after filing an application Nov. 10. Because the Racing and Gaming Commission has indicated it would not accept amendments to the initial applications, the consultant's study used the initial data.
Mochal said the NCC did not change the scope of its project, although it did push some items --- from what had been projected in future phases of the development --- into the initial phase.
"We believe they are certainly going to be included in the commission's analysis of our project and it was part of our application," Mochal said. "This is not a change; it is all part of the total envisioned project that we submitted."
Alliance board members did vote to strike from their recommendation a particularly pointed statement in a draft resolution, which indicated the NCC would use most of its revenues to improve the organization's fairgrounds and pay off debt to the Meskwaki Indian tribe, which had bailed the NCC out of bankruptcy in the 1990s.
That will not be in the final draft delivered to the Racing and Gaming Commission.
Mochal said the NCC would repay the tribal debt out of its 20 percent share of the operating profits, while the tribe forgives all the interest. But he said none of the estimated $6 million in property tax relief, development projects and charitable donations countywide would be diverted to the Meskwakis or the fairgrounds.
Mochal also believes the lack of a hotel at the proposed NCC casino hurt the project in the jobs and economic impact areas. But he said the decision not to build a hotel at this point was driven by the current hotel occupancy rates being below 60 percent.
"We're not surprised by the alliance stand on the other casinos, but we are disappointed," he said. "We're glad our business community recognizes that a riverboat casino is good for Waterloo, and we think the ultimate decision will be made by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission."
Alliance vote a step forward
Gary Hoyer, project manager for the proposed Cedar Landing development, was encouraged by the alliance's decision.
"It proves that we have a quality product that will do many things for the community," Hoyer said. "We are convinced that we can do it better and have a more significant positive impact.
"Frankly, I think the members of the community, privately, would agree," he said. "It's difficult when you have people on both sides of the issue, but I am confident that the local ownership (of the Cedar Landing project) will win the day with the commission."
Alliance President Steve Dust said the gaming study and endorsement was a significant step for the organization, which formed just over a year ago.
"This is one of the first times the alliance ... has stepped forward and said we're speaking with one voice," he said. "We believe that's going to be effective when we deliver our message to the Racing and Gaming Commission later this spring."
Dust also had praise for all of the community leaders working on the three proposals.
"All of these organizations are highly respected in our community," he said. "We appreciate what they're doing in the Cedar Valley."
The casino, if a license is awarded, is expected to be the ninth- or 10th-largest employer in the county.
"This is going to be a significant economic project within our economic base," Dust said. "It's very important to us without being dominant."
Tim Jamison can be contacted at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.
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