Officials in Yankton, South Dakota recently announced they are working on preliminary plans to develop a casino and entertainment center in the downtown area near the waterfront. Members of a committee formed to research the casino proposal said the venue would help the city deal with work force development, historic preservation, and improving the quality of life.
City Manager Amy Nelson said, “It’s not just a gaming facility, it’s also an entertainment facility combining things like musical performances and convention space and some things like that. We would like to focus on the historic downtown and focus on the riverfront. That’s what we’re known for, that’s our identity,” Nelson said.
City officials estimate the casino would cost between $35 and $50 million and would generate $3 million to $4 million annually in gaming tax revenue. A statewide referendum would be required to approve a gaming license for Yankton.
Downtown Development Coordinator Mollie Grey said the new entertainment center help utilize the river by creating a boardwalk from downtown to the waterfront.
State Senator Bernie Hunhoff stated, “I think the challenge is we need to compete with Omaha, Lincoln and Minneapolis. Just employers alone tell us they need an additional 500 for the next several years. That’s a big number for a town our size.”
He added, “We want to model Deadwood when it comes to historic preservation, but we’d be a very different model than Deadwood or than most casinos in other parts of the country. We want one license, we want it held by a nonprofit.” The revenue would then be directed back into the city to pay for improvements. “Quality of life improvements could be anything from other tourism improvements, riverboats some people have asked for, to libraries or children museums,” Hunhoff said.
