(Emmetsburg)– Two entities vying for a gaming license in Palo Alto county won’t be getting any letters of support from the city of Okoboji.
The Okoboji city council Tuesday took no action on requests from the Palo Alto County Development Commission and the Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation for letters of support for a gaming license.
Palo Alto county residents voted in favor of allowing gambling in that county in 2003.
The Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation along with the Northwest Iowa Gaming Company have submitted a proposal to build a casino on Five Island Lake in Emmetsburg. The Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation is working with Wild Rose Entertainment in proposing a casino/resort on a man-made lake just east of Emmetsburg on Highway 18.
Mayor Bob Schneider says it would make no sense for the city of Okoboji to sign a letter supporting gambling in the Emmetsburg area when Dickinson county voters soundly defeated bringing expanded gambling here.
The Progress and Development Committee of the Spencer City Council considered a similar request from Palo Alto county at their meeting last week. According to City Manager Dean Torreson, the committee decided against taking a position on the matter, stating it is not their place to support a gambling proposal in another county when they refused to take sides when the issue came before Clay county voters last year.
(Danielle Hitchings of sister station KDWD Hot 100 in Spencer contributed toward this story.).
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