Since the Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson, Iowa opened in August 2015, “The positives outweigh the negatives,” said General Manager Travis Dvorak said. He said the casino annually gives five percent of its revenue back to the community, and is dedicated to being a good neighbor to Jefferson and the other towns and counties it serves.
Still, some members of the community believe the casino has brought an increase in crime. “There’s no more or less crime in Jefferson than any other place I’ve been,” Dvorak said.
Jefferson Police Chief Mark Clouse said in the last five months of 2015, his department made 42 or an average of 8.4 calls per month to Wild Rose; in 2016, they made 120 or an average of 10 calls per month. For 2016, the police made a total of 3,562 calls in Jefferson. “Every call for service we answer has been on the increase for several years now. You have to expect calls to service. Police, fire, EMS, all of those are going to increase due to the extra population in town,” Clouse said.
He noted despite the increase in service calls, the casino benefits the community. It gave the Jefferson Police Department and the Greene County Sheriff’s Department a six-figure grant last year, Clouse noted.
Scott County also has benefited from hosting the Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf and the Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport. County Administrator Mahesh Sharma said in the first three months of 2017, the Isle reported a 6.3 percent increase, or $25,000, in gaming dollars and a 30 percent increase, or $90,988, from Rhythm City. Both riverfront properties moved onto land last year. Sharma said an improved local economy and more casino visitors contributed to the results. “The county’s revenue situation is solid. These are good numbers,” he said.
