Yesterday’s Wild Rose Jefferson presentation for a proposed casino to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission saw over 100 people there to show their support.

Economic Development Director Ken Paxton talks about what he thought was the most important part that was covered during the presentation.

“I thought he covered really the main selling point is that the idea that the casino placed in Greene County would be a significant, regional, economic development piece for not only Greene County but the other regions surrounding it.”

Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation President Norm Fandel says they also addressed parts of the feasibility studies that were discussed prior to their presentation yesterday.  The studies reported that there wasn’t any undeserved areas in Iowa that anyone could go to a casino within a one hour drive.

Fandel points out that a casino in Jefferson would be 75 miles from Prairie Meadows in Altoona, 90 miles from Wild Rose in Emmetsburg and 125 miles from any other casinos.  He states that Wild Rose Jefferson would impact Prairie Meadows at 3% which is lower in percentage than when the Commission did this same type of study in 2010 concerning Lyon County.

“When they did Lyon County, that was closer to 5-or-6% of an impact to Wild Rose in Emmetsburg.  That didn’t sway the committee to vote 5-0 to allow that license to move forward.”

The Commission wasn’t allowed to ask any questions and debate any part of the presentation.

The next step will be a site visit and public forum with the Commission on May 29th in Jefferson before the final vote on June 12th.