After more than a decade of trying to bring a casino to Linn County, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission voted 4-1 to grant a gaming license to build a planned $275 million casino and entertainment center near downtown Cedar Rapids.
A proposed five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos in Iowa will not be passed into law, a key legislator said Tuesday, clearing the way for state regulators to decide later this week on a proposal for a new casino in Cedar Rapids.
Senators in the Iowa Legislature were told to keep their schedule clear Wednesday evening in anticipation of potential floor debate on a casino moratorium bill. Meanwhile, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to grant a license for a planned $275 million casino and entertainment center near downtown Cedar Rapids.
This recap of the week in Iowa politics includes the special election to fill a vacant Iowa Senate seat, immigration, ticket bots and a casino moratorium.
The odds of Cedar Rapids finally getting a casino took a hit Thursday when state lawmakers advanced legislation that would prohibit any new casinos in Iowa for at least five years.
House lawmakers on Monday advanced legislation to create a five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos in Iowa. The move comes as the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission nears a decision at its Feb. 6 meeting on whether to grant a license for a Linn County casino.
State gambling regulators declined Thursday to decide whether inartful language in a 2021 Linn County referendum should prevent a proposed casino from being considered there.
Bills to create a five-year moratorium on new state-licensed casinos in Iowa have been introduced by Republicans in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature.
Iowa lawmakers are expected to again consider a moratorium blocking the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission from awarding new gaming licenses in the state.
Property tax cuts, changes to Iowa’s higher education system and a statewide policy over cellphone use in schools are among the priorities state lawmakers intend to tackle when the Iowa Legislature convenes Monday for the 2025 session.
From a casino moratorium to immigration policy to a hands-free driving law, here’s a look at the hot-button issues likely to resurface during this year’s Iowa legislative session, which begins Monday.
Two new market studies say a proposed Cedar Rapids casino would largely rely on pulling patrons from other Iowa casinos rather than bringing in new customers or significantly increasing statewide gaming revenue.
The development agreement, approved by the Cedar Rapids City Council on Tuesday, is contingent upon the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission issuing a gaming license to the project.
However, industry leaders say the numbers are merely leveling off after a post-pandemic spike in casino attendance
Commissioners intend to hear arguments before Feb. 6 vote on granting a casino license
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