Linn County Supervisors Verify Petition for Public Vote on Casino

A group that supports bringing a casino to Linn County has gathered enough eligible signatures to bring the matter to a vote through a special election, possibly as soon as March.

Vote Yes Linn County gathered more than 16,000 signatures calling for a vote, of which 15,491 were verified. That was still 3,600 more than is necessary. Such a petition requires the number of signatures to amount to at least 10 percent of the number of people who voted in the last election, in this case, in November.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors formally received and verified the petitions for filing for a gaming referendum in Linn County. Now, opponents have five working days to file written objections to the signatures.

The Board of Supervisors will set a date for the countywide gaming referendum in Linn County at a meeting next week. The Gazette reports the Vote Yes group is pushing for a special election on March 5.

Proponents say the casino, which is estimated to cost $80 million, will add jobs and prosperity to the area still recovering from the flood of 2008. Opponents say it will hurt rather than help local business and cannibalize from other local casinos, specifically Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, which is about an hour south.

A community coalition called Just Say No Casino recently formed to oppose the casino. It's not clear how formidable their opposition will be.

In October, Linn County Board of Supervisor unanimously passed a memorandum of understanding with the Linn County Gaming Association, which is a non-profit, and the Cedar Rapids Development Group, which is a private company, to support their gaming license bid.

Here's more information about the special election process and the Linn County Gaming Association, which would hold the gaming license:

The Board of Supervisors must notify the Auditor’s Office of an election at least 46 days prior to an election date. If the referendum passes, the license application goes to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to decide whether to grant a state license for a casino in Linn County.

Linn County Supervisor Brent Oleson is a member of the Linn County Gaming Association, the non-profit board that would hold the Linn County gaming license and be responsible for the distribution of charitable funds from its allocated gaming tax profits if voters approve a gaming license for Linn County. Iowa state law requires that a non-profit board holds gaming licenses issued in the state. Other Association members include Keith Rippy, executive director of the Area Ambulance Service; Leah Rodenberg, who works in corporate philanthropy; Cedar Rapids City Council member Justin Shields; and Linda Seger, neighborhood activist.

Read more:

Community Coalition Forms to Oppose Plans for Linn County Casino

Linn County Supervisors Support Effort to Build Cedar Rapids Casino

Survey Hints at Casino Opening in Cedar Rapids