Hampton, IA- An area county is vying to be the home of Iowa’s next casino.
Franklin County leaders are looking at the results of a study from the State Gaming Commission. Right now five counties in Iowa are in the running for gaming licenses.
That includes Franklin. The State Gaming Commission is releasing the results of its latest casino feasibility study.
Business leaders are bullish about what gambling could mean for their local economy.
"We're on the move doing some interesting things, we're just positioned for econonomy for tourism and such a lot of hidden jewels in the area," said Franklin County Tourism Executive Director Brook Boehmler.
If Boehmler and others have their way, one of those jewels could be Iowa’s next casino. Franklin County lobbied unsuccessfully for a gaming license five years ago. They lost out to Worth County, 50 miles to the north.
After watching Diamond Jo's success and its benefits to the surrounding area, Franklin County wants a share of the winnings.
"The opportunity to get revenue that's not available any other way, why wouldn't you want to try to go after that," said Franklin County Development Association Executive Director Karen Mitchell.
The property where the casino in Franklin County would have gone back in 2004, Investors tell us the project has changed partly because of new laws. For instance, casinos in Iowa are no longer required to sit on water.
"It would still be a tremendously high quality project, because we've got some great people as local investors willing to put up their money to help make this happen partnering with a proven gaming company," said Mitchell.
Those investors were hoping for a more definitive answer from the Iowa Gaming Commission. Now they're in a holding pattern until they get a decision on a license.
"If they decide to proceed with opening it up to licenses we will continue to move along with the public referendum that was passed here that residents wanted us to get this gaming license," said Mitchell.
Boehmler says he's excited and believes it will put Franklin County on the map.
"I think we will be in the spotlight of Iowa, and we want to take that opportunity."
We talked with Gayle Burnett who is one of the investors in the Franklin County casino project. She says today's meeting was positive. While the northwest part of the Iowa appears to have an advantage, Franklin County is touting its location next to interstate 35.
The next Iowa Gaming Commission meeting is scheduled for the middle of next month. Franklin County hopes to know more about new licenses after that date.
