(Arnolds Park)– Controvery over plans to bring gaming to the Iowa Great Lakes is about to come to a full boil.
KUOO news has learned the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum’s Board of Directors will meet at 9:00 a.m. Saturday (4/12). They’ll hear a committee recommendation on the issue, and there will be a presentation from a recently organized group that’s opposed to local gaming, Iowa Great Lakes Quality of Life.
Like other meetings of the Maritime Museum Board, KUOO news has learned Saturday’s will also be closed to the public and media.
Iowa Great Lakes Quality of Life has scheduled a news conference following the meeting.
Petitions calling for a referendum on the gaming issue have been making the rounds in the Iowa Great Lakes for the past several weeks. As of Thursday, it had not yet been filed with Nancy Reiman, Dickinson County Commissioner of Elections, who would schedule the vote.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has placed a moratorium on the issuance of new licenses, but has indicated it may be waived if a group comes forward with an attractive proposal.
A bill has been introduced in the Iowa Legislature to increase the number of gaming licenses, but many key lawmakers doubt it will come up for debate this session.
