The Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson, Iowa recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Developer Gary Kirke said thanks to a casino supporter showing him a map, he decided to build the venue in Greene County. He said he noted “a donut hole” that existing Iowa casinos were not covering, so he zeroed in on the Jefferson location.
Kirke said, “From that day on the whole Jefferson and Greene County and the people have been wonderful to deal with. They went back an organized and got the largest first vote referendum passed in the state of Iowa. More than 75 percent of the people voted for it.”
He added Jefferson “needed a lift,” just like Emmettsburg where Kirke’s company developed the first Wild Rose Casino. “It has really sparked a lot of economic development in that town already,” Kirke said. Nearly 500,000 people have visited the casino, and 25,000 people have attended shows, concerts, meetings and conventions, according to casino figures.
Kirke acknowledged the casino was not welcomed by everyone in Jefferson. “You know people talk about casinos bringing in problem gamblers–the state pretty much covers that. They talked about how it will increase the crime rate and bring in strip clubs and things like that. You hear everything, but quite frankly that’s not happened there. We’ve had some instances there, but not out of the normal,” Kirke said. He noted the casino’s non-profit partner has donated to the city, schools, community projects and surrounding counties.
Iowa almost has reached the casino saturation point, Kirke said. The only area that is underserved, he stated, is the so-called Golden Circle in central Iowa, around Des Moines.
Kirke said Iowa will have to respond if Nebraska approves gambling. “Nebraska is seriously considering gaming and it has gone as far as it has ever gone before. They’re seeing $500 million a year going across the river there, and one of these days I think they are going to wake up,” he said.
Also in Iowa, the empty Rhythm City Casino riverboat, which closed to gamblers on June 12, will leave the Davenport riverfront by September 15, said Mayor Frank Klipsch. “The riverboat is scheduled to leave any day. It was 90 days from when the casino opened, so it’s September 15, or somewhere about that point,” Klipsch said following a meeting with city leaders.
The new land-based Rhythm City Casino opened on the north side of Davenport in June.
Klipsch said the first step is to move out the old riverboat, followed by turning the old casino parking lot into a recreational area. “Then, take a look at what’s left and see if there’s something that can be submitted to us that meets the needs for the future. Whether it’s on the riverfront or on the water itself, I think it’s important to have something that really has a wow-factor, that brings people there and is something that we’re proud of,” Klipsch said.
One possibility for the area is a restaurant that people could reach by automobile or by boat. Any potential businesses would require approval from the Davenport city council, the levee commission and the public, Klipsch said.
He noted, “There will be no financial risk by the city. This is something to be owned by that developer, or that entity. We will have no responsibility for that at all. With, still, public access, I think that’s important, that’s what the community wants. It doesn’t want the city to own something else. It wants great amenities with no cost to the taxpayer.”
