Linn County residents approve gaming referendum
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Nov. 2, 2021) – Today, Linn County residents voted to approve Public Measure G, a referendum that permanently authorizes gaming in the county, by an official vote of 24,169 to 20,036 (54.67% - 45.32%). The voters’ approval solidifies a path forward to bring a gaming facility to Linn County. The Cedar Rapids Development Group (CRDG), and its nonprofit partner, the Linn County Gaming Association (LCGA), can now begin the process of applying for a gaming license with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC).
“The voters today have shown they are ready to unlock Linn County’s potential,” said Jonathan Swain, president of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, the parent company of CRDG. “Passing this referendum was the first step in our path to building a local casino.”
Now that the referendum has passed, CRDG and the LCGA turn their focus towards developing an application for a state gaming license from the IRGC. If granted a license, formal steps will be taken to develop a casino.
“A local casino will help our communities become a more vibrant place to live,” said LCGA President Anne Parmley. “A casino will bring millions of much-needed dollars in additional support to local nonprofits. We believe we can do more and be more – and we are proud of our commitment to allocate 8% of net gaming revenues to local nonprofits – more than double the state requirement.”
Iowa mandates that regulated licensed casinos set aside a minimum percentage of revenue to fund nonprofit organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic and derecho have put more financial stress on local nonprofits, and contributions from a casino will provide a much-needed source of funding to assist Linn County in managing future needs.
Today, there is a large disparity between counties with casinos as compared to counties that do not: In 2019 – the last pre-COVID year in which data is available – the 15 counties with casinos were able to distribute an average of $6.3 million to local nonprofits. In 2019, the 84 counties without casinos were only able to distribute $140,000 each.
In addition, a gaming facility in Linn County will bring more entertainment dollars to the county, as well as jobs for local trade professionals. Eventually, hospitality and gaming career opportunities will be offered at a new casino.
“We know a casino can serve as an anchor attraction for a community, and we know a casino will generate significant tourism and entertainment dollars for Linn County,” Swain said. “We are thankful the voters have provided us an opportunity to take the next step to making Linn County an even better place to live, work and visit.”
Public Measure G was supported by three Cedar Rapids mayoral candidates, local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Last month, Swain signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building and Construction Trades Council outlining the casino developer’s intention to enter a project labor agreement once plans are developed for a local casino. That MOU is, in part, contingent on the successful passage of the gaming referendum.
“Our board wants to thank those who provided incredible support and voted YES for Public Measure G,” Parmley said. “Local government, business, union and nonprofit leaders, in addition to several volunteers, helped us spread the word about the benefits of this next step and helped our residents understand what this means for the future of our county.”
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Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E) operates premium gaming venues in Iowa, New York and Virginia communities that provide high-quality entertainment through outstanding service. Learn more about P2E at its website.
The Cedar Rapids Development Group (CRDG) is the casino operator and the Linn County Gaming Association (LCGA) is the nonprofit association that will together apply for the gaming license for a proposed casino in Linn County. The LCGA will be responsible for distributing grants and funds from casino revenue to nonprofits within the community. Learn more at LinnWins.com.