I can’t remember ever disagreeing with you on anything before, but I now do disagree with this proposal, Doug. I suspect gambling is one of the most underreported sources of misery visiting Iowa families. I hope I’m wrong, but I have an inkling I’m right.
There is no good reason to approve a new casino. I have no truck with moral objections, but the argument from Governor Mini Bone Spur and others (from both parties) that says gambling is a great source of "new money" for education and community development is disingenuous at best. New money loses its luster and impact almost immediately, as those who argue FOR gambling then argue for lowering taxes (and for giving tax funds to private religious schools) because of the gambling windfall. It's a zero sum argument at best and at worst permits our political leaders to take advantage of those who can afford gambling the least. The beneficiaries of casinos are casino owners and rich non-casino owners who get a reduced-tax bonus delivered to them under a smoke screen.
Go ahead and build the casino, if you want. But gambling is gambling and the House always wins.
So, Doug, we know that casinos are just another poor man's tax, right? But I agree with you on the fact that if there's going to be another one, it ought to be in CR. Bobby Kaufmann got some nice fat checks from the companies that own the QC and Riverside casinos to try to subvert the power of the Gaming Commission. I'm surprised that with the amount of money he raised and gave the Republican Party last year, they weren't all in lock step with him. Good for you for being a voice of reason because it's only folks like you who could've fought back against his backers.
We have three casinos operating in the Quad Cities.
If this industry were such a great boon and economic development "win" one would therefore expect the QC to be three-times more economically healthy and vibrant than Cedar Rapids, no?
But it is not. At all.
Just some words of caution from a place where every new casino project (the move off the river, the move to all land-based, the addition of sports wagering, etc., etc.,) was pitched with the promise of being a "game changer." Which none subsequently were.
It does create some jobs and it does help fund social programs and other events. I don't view it as a wholly negative industry. But it is not the Magic Bullet its proponents pretend.
One big reason Cedar Rapids doesn't yet have a casino is that it took Linn County voters longer to approve a gambling referendum. Forces opposed to gambling on religious and other grounds were active in Cedar Rapids as well as here in Black Hawk County 20 to 30 years ago. Those forces were less successful in Black Hawk County than in Linn County when this came up 20 years ago, which set back gambling interests in Cedar Rapids.
Every time a casino proposal comes up in Cedar Rapids folks up here in Waterloo here get nervous. But it didn't prevent the Black Hawk County Gaming Association from making a major gift to the University of Northern Iowa last week in its fund drive for renovations to the UNI-Dome and other UNI athletic facilities -- which lack the booster base of UNI's sister regents institutions in the state's growth corridors. A significant portion of casino revenues also are specifically dedicated to improvements in downtown Waterloo, such as the Cedar Valley SportsPlex and other downtown riverfront improvements. It has also helped many nonprofit organizations, including the museum where I am employed. I hope none of that goes away.
Personally, I do not think a casino on the northwest side of Cedar Rapids in the downtown area will hurt Waterloo's casino as much as if it would have been located off one of the I-380 exits at the north entrance to the city. But there will be an impact, based on the market analysis reported. And if CR's downtown proposal is successful I hope the facility and surrounding area is sufficiently flood proofed. We might have had a downtown casino in Waterloo that would have been severely impacted by the flood of 2008. I know no one in Cedar Rapids needs any reminder of that.
But I would, very respectfully, pose this question: Does the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor, arguably the fastest growing corridor in the state besides Des Moines/Ankeny/Ames, really need a casino when it has so much else going for it -- including an existing casino? There is always some concern here that, on balance, Black Hawk County has more to lose that Linn County has to gain in the long term and I feel some obligation in this discussion to give voice to that concern. I hope that's totally wrong and am hopeful the Racing and Gaming Commission members will make the best possible decision for everyone based on the market analysis and other information available to them.
Yeah, I’m not a fan of casinos, but I agree that there’s no great reason that the city of our births shouldn’t get one if Iowa City, essentially, has one.
The politics of the Cedar Rapids Crossing debate have been pure theater. I admire Cedar Rapids' leaders for their persistence and creativity. The only thing missing from the conceptual design is a chapel. I know the neighborhood well as I lived on F Avenue which is a key access. The area warrants redevelopment after the 2008 flood left it vacant for miles. I do not by the cannabilization argument; how many Casey's, Kum and Go (soon to be Maverick), and Kwik Stars do we have within walking distance of each other? Today is the big decision. If it is approved I will admire the shimmering facade as I drive 380, but I will not stop to gamble. There are plenty of preferred and better sources of entertainment and financial donations.
I agree, Doug. I hope the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission will vote favorably on a license for the Cedar Rapids group to develop a casino there. It’s unthinkable to me that there isn’t one in Iowa’s second largest city. I too remember the arguments against allowing the development of Wild Rose Casino & Resort in Jefferson. Opponents said Wild Rose would be “cannibalizing” the casinos that already existed around the state. That simply has not happened. It won’t happen if the casino is developed in Cedar Rapids, either. In fact, I think a nice, new, well-run casino in Cedar Rapids will inspire all the other casinos across the state to improve & grow their operations — and that’ll be good for all of us.
I can’t remember ever disagreeing with you on anything before, but I now do disagree with this proposal, Doug. I suspect gambling is one of the most underreported sources of misery visiting Iowa families. I hope I’m wrong, but I have an inkling I’m right.
We don’t need anymore gambling sites in Iowa.
There is no good reason to approve a new casino. I have no truck with moral objections, but the argument from Governor Mini Bone Spur and others (from both parties) that says gambling is a great source of "new money" for education and community development is disingenuous at best. New money loses its luster and impact almost immediately, as those who argue FOR gambling then argue for lowering taxes (and for giving tax funds to private religious schools) because of the gambling windfall. It's a zero sum argument at best and at worst permits our political leaders to take advantage of those who can afford gambling the least. The beneficiaries of casinos are casino owners and rich non-casino owners who get a reduced-tax bonus delivered to them under a smoke screen.
Go ahead and build the casino, if you want. But gambling is gambling and the House always wins.
So, Doug, we know that casinos are just another poor man's tax, right? But I agree with you on the fact that if there's going to be another one, it ought to be in CR. Bobby Kaufmann got some nice fat checks from the companies that own the QC and Riverside casinos to try to subvert the power of the Gaming Commission. I'm surprised that with the amount of money he raised and gave the Republican Party last year, they weren't all in lock step with him. Good for you for being a voice of reason because it's only folks like you who could've fought back against his backers.
We have three casinos operating in the Quad Cities.
If this industry were such a great boon and economic development "win" one would therefore expect the QC to be three-times more economically healthy and vibrant than Cedar Rapids, no?
But it is not. At all.
Just some words of caution from a place where every new casino project (the move off the river, the move to all land-based, the addition of sports wagering, etc., etc.,) was pitched with the promise of being a "game changer." Which none subsequently were.
It does create some jobs and it does help fund social programs and other events. I don't view it as a wholly negative industry. But it is not the Magic Bullet its proponents pretend.
Thanks. Very good points you raise. I wondered where the opposition we see in commercials was coming from.
👍
One big reason Cedar Rapids doesn't yet have a casino is that it took Linn County voters longer to approve a gambling referendum. Forces opposed to gambling on religious and other grounds were active in Cedar Rapids as well as here in Black Hawk County 20 to 30 years ago. Those forces were less successful in Black Hawk County than in Linn County when this came up 20 years ago, which set back gambling interests in Cedar Rapids.
Every time a casino proposal comes up in Cedar Rapids folks up here in Waterloo here get nervous. But it didn't prevent the Black Hawk County Gaming Association from making a major gift to the University of Northern Iowa last week in its fund drive for renovations to the UNI-Dome and other UNI athletic facilities -- which lack the booster base of UNI's sister regents institutions in the state's growth corridors. A significant portion of casino revenues also are specifically dedicated to improvements in downtown Waterloo, such as the Cedar Valley SportsPlex and other downtown riverfront improvements. It has also helped many nonprofit organizations, including the museum where I am employed. I hope none of that goes away.
Personally, I do not think a casino on the northwest side of Cedar Rapids in the downtown area will hurt Waterloo's casino as much as if it would have been located off one of the I-380 exits at the north entrance to the city. But there will be an impact, based on the market analysis reported. And if CR's downtown proposal is successful I hope the facility and surrounding area is sufficiently flood proofed. We might have had a downtown casino in Waterloo that would have been severely impacted by the flood of 2008. I know no one in Cedar Rapids needs any reminder of that.
But I would, very respectfully, pose this question: Does the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor, arguably the fastest growing corridor in the state besides Des Moines/Ankeny/Ames, really need a casino when it has so much else going for it -- including an existing casino? There is always some concern here that, on balance, Black Hawk County has more to lose that Linn County has to gain in the long term and I feel some obligation in this discussion to give voice to that concern. I hope that's totally wrong and am hopeful the Racing and Gaming Commission members will make the best possible decision for everyone based on the market analysis and other information available to them.
The Iowa Mercury is a bit like The New Yorker: Great writing that inspires readers to look at life through a different lens.
Note: I am not a fan of gambling or casinos. I found myself completely persuaded by the piece.
Yeah, I’m not a fan of casinos, but I agree that there’s no great reason that the city of our births shouldn’t get one if Iowa City, essentially, has one.
PS: St. Luke’s Hospital, by chance?
Correction from post buy..darn autofill.
The politics of the Cedar Rapids Crossing debate have been pure theater. I admire Cedar Rapids' leaders for their persistence and creativity. The only thing missing from the conceptual design is a chapel. I know the neighborhood well as I lived on F Avenue which is a key access. The area warrants redevelopment after the 2008 flood left it vacant for miles. I do not by the cannabilization argument; how many Casey's, Kum and Go (soon to be Maverick), and Kwik Stars do we have within walking distance of each other? Today is the big decision. If it is approved I will admire the shimmering facade as I drive 380, but I will not stop to gamble. There are plenty of preferred and better sources of entertainment and financial donations.
I agree, Doug. I hope the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission will vote favorably on a license for the Cedar Rapids group to develop a casino there. It’s unthinkable to me that there isn’t one in Iowa’s second largest city. I too remember the arguments against allowing the development of Wild Rose Casino & Resort in Jefferson. Opponents said Wild Rose would be “cannibalizing” the casinos that already existed around the state. That simply has not happened. It won’t happen if the casino is developed in Cedar Rapids, either. In fact, I think a nice, new, well-run casino in Cedar Rapids will inspire all the other casinos across the state to improve & grow their operations — and that’ll be good for all of us.