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Iowa's New Casinos Cash Cows
Message was posted: 08:25 Oct 28th, 2006

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Casino news from http://www.kcci.com/ October 28, 2006 DES MOINES, Iowa -- More Iowans than ever before are visiting the state's casinos and they're spending more than ever. Casino officials said that's mostly because of Iowa's new casinos. Emmetsburg, Northwood and Riverside have all been open a few months. Waterloo will open next spring. The state racing and gaming commission decided to locate the new facilities in areas that did not already have a casino. And that, they said, made a big difference. "The numbers have come in pretty much as expected," said Jack Ketterer, a commission administrator. Compared to a year ago, statewide gambling revenue is up 17 percent. Six million visitors walked into casinos in the last three months, sending Iowa's profit from casinos up by $9.6 million dollars -- a lot of it from our neighbors to the north. "I would say pretty much as expected with the exception of Worth County, said Ketterer. "I don't think anybody really realized that that many Minnesotans would come down and gamble at an Iowa casino." Gaming officials said the Worth County casino is drawing gamblers from as far away as Minneapolis. All those numbers are expected to keep climbing as the Waterloo casino opens early next year -- and as Prairie Meadows opens up their new restaurant and space for concerts and meetings.