There is another part of this story that involves the private investors meeting with city and county government 14 months before any of us were aware of the proposed casino. You would think city and county leaders would have initiated public discussion concerning the proposed casino, would have conducted their own independent research (similar to Omaha), but instead they met to plan their campaign which included telling everyone the vote would be May 7th, then the Board of Supervisors held a special meeting one week before their regularly scheduled meeting to move up the vote to March 5th so the opposition would have less time to organize. Instead of looking out for ALL Linn County citizens the Cedar Rapids City Council and Linn County Board of Supervisors signed an agreement that the private investors would get the license if approved by citizens and the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission – removing any opportunity to negotiate on behalf of Linn County citizens. The location announced yesterday makes it even more imperative that city and county leaders turn over all communication about this deal. We asked for it two weeks ago and have heard nothing from the city or county. Did they discuss this land deal when they signed the one-sided agreement with the nonprofit? We unfortunately don’t know because the city and county refuse to fulfill our open records request on the matter. No big surprise, as you say. It seems private casino investors and city and county government have been working together for over a year to make a private casino possible. They just forgot one thing – the citizens of Linn County. In their arrogance, they underestimated Linn County citizens and their 15 year history of successfully defeating gambling in Linn County.

“The city and county shouldn’t be in the casino business, especially if they’re not willing to be transparent. Casino investors have tried to keep as many details as they can out of the public’s eye, which is why they’re outspending us and still tied in the polls. Today’s announcement is long overdue and will not change voters’ skepticism about this plan

I am not a gambler. I have only visited casinos in Iowa 2 times and on each occasion I “invested” less than $200 at the tables. Initially, I was undecided about how I would vote. The degree to which the Riverside casino has decided to involve itself in the casino issue in Cedar Rapids has pushed me to vote “yes”. The proposed location further confirms the wisdom of my decision.

I will not be voting “yes” because I want to gamble close to home. I am voting “yes” because I want to take business away from Riverside due their inappropriate and hypocritical involvement in a Cedar Rapids issue.

For the people running the “Just Say No” campaign – You should be ashamed of yourself for accepting money from outside casinos. It tarnishes your image and undermines your integrity.

The location announcement is no big surprise, we’re still trying to fit that square peg into that round hole that is downtown Cedar Rapids. Imagine designing this casino on a clean palate somewhere free of traffic and infrastructure issues instead of making it “fit in” downtown. I’ll be surprised if they don’t want to close First Avenue and build on top of it – with the city council’s blessing!

Rich Greer – I’m not ashamed for being opposed to Linn County gambling for the past 15 years. Nor has my image been ‘tarnished’ or my integrity been ‘undermined’. Your reasons for supporting the proposed Linn County casino – ‘you want to gamble closer to home’ and your personal animosity toward other regional casinos trying to protect their jobs and revenue has nothing to do with the question before us, “Is a casino right for Linn County?” I respect your opinion, even if it has nothing to do with improving or preserving the quality of life in Linn County.

Scott, with all due respect, there were other factors involved in the past attempts to defeat a Linn County casino. So excuse me if I missed it, but you have not given us a reason why you oppose. Are you opposed to gambling or just against CR having a casino? Do you have an interest in another casino? Do you have a gambling problem? Does your faith find it morally apprehensible? Because until you voice your exact objection to it, many will simply dismiss your comments as someone who is against everything and anything.
We do agree on one thing, the arrogance of our board of supervisors.

“So an anti-gambling message is funded with gambling dollars. Surprise.”

I just don’t get this. I haven’t been paying incredibly close attention, but the ads I have seen haven’t been “anti-gambling,” they’ve been “anti-this casino.”

Nobody should fault Riverside for wanting to protect their employees and investors. Or Waterloo.

But, the fact that they are digging in so hard on this is probably an indication that a casino, IF DONE RIGHT, would do well in Cedar Rapids. But, getting past the IRGC doesn’t appear likely. We’re casino-saturated in this state.

Just Say No cannot be faulted for their unholy alliance with the Riverside and Waterloo casinos, as they cannot be faulted for protecting their interests in working to defeat the Cedar Rapids casino. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission stated that Iowa is reaching a saturation point, and that any new casino business would likely cannibalize the business of the existing casinos. Studies have been done, which clearly demonstrate the deleterious effects of gambling in a community, My personal reason for not wanting a casino here in Cedar Rapids, is that Linn County can do (and has done) better without one in the past. The Local Option Sales Tax, of which I am no fan, brought in $78 million in five years, more than 15 times the amount of the crumbs the investors are willing to throw us in the same time period.. Something is very clearly wrong here. The best thing we can do this time around is to vote NO and make the investors start all over with a clear plan that allows for communication with the citizens of Linn County at every step, instead of reacting to pressure to release information that should have come out all along.

Just Say No is a political group seeking to defeat the March 5 Gambling Referendum for Linn County. It clearly funded by two neighboring casinos. Two other gambling referendums have been defeated in the past in Linn County. Scott Stines is a past and current volunteer of the no campaigns against a gambling in Linn County. I recently meet him due to my Rotary Club and his efforts to speak out against gambling here. Further, the Inter-Faith Council in Linn County has come out in opposition of the Referendum. A variety of business, neighborhood and community volunteers or concerned citizens have also voiced or quietly come out against the Referendum, as well.

Problem or Pathological gambling has been voiced by both Sara Riley and Scott Stines at public forums on the Referendum. Research online can quickly bring up concerns over urban casinos, and the social impacts and challenges of such ventures.

Warren Buffett has been out spoken in the past on the negatives of gambling, when Omaha and Nebraska visited the issue. Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss provided a study for the Omaha Chamber of Commerce and since wrote a book on the subject.

The internet provide a variety of information and case studies. 60 Minutes studied the psychological attraction of slot machines and the negatives associated.

There are plenty of concerns with an urban casino. Even local gamblers have concerns with having a venue so convenient in their urban hometown. Frankly, I believe we already have a venue in the Crsative Corridor. Do we really need another one?