SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
Sioux City officials say they're absolutely determined to find a land-based location for a new casino.
We don't know where it's going, we learned where it's not, and why.
"Finding the right piece of property is very essential," said Missouri River Historic District Chair Mark Monson.
So far, the city, the casino, and the non-profit have narrowed down what won't work. City Manager Paul Eckert says preliminary consideration was given to the Farmer's Market parking lot next to the Tyson Events Center.
"It was a brainstorming concept, really an effort to find a location where Penn had not been able to identify a location," explained Eckert.
Eckert says any location has to go through detailed analysis, and the parking lot was ruled out based on transportation and parking issues. Also off the table is the Convention Center. Connected to the Sioux City Hotel, hotel management is keen on the idea, but the City Manager is not.
"At this point it's not a real option," said Eckert.
Then there's the Battery Building, a ten million dollar renovation is still on the back burner, and the Warrior Hotel. Both are ideas that have been tossed around for years.
"We encourage people not to look at it at the existing buildings standpoint. They're most likely going to clear and build," explained Eckert.
While the city may not want to say specifically where it wants the casino to go, it's adamant that Argosy must come off the water and onto the tax rolls.
"No other location has the payback that the downtown provides. It is the center of the tri-state area," added Eckert when asked whether the break-down in talks could increase the potential for the casino to go outside of Sioux City.
MRHD is staying tight lipped too about locations being left on the table.
"Where it will go we have not a clue yet," said Monson.
For now, it seems the boat isn't going anywhere. Although its license with MRHD expires just a few days before the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission meeting, the IRGC says they're not going to let Argosy shut its doors, which would seem to suggest the jobs on that boat are safe.
"We'll grant whatever extensions are necessary to keep the facility operating until the new land-based facility is ready," stated IRGC Vice-Chair Jeff Lamberti.
In the meantime, both the city and MRHD say talks with Penn will continue.
"Where it goes is going to be one of those ahaha moments," said Monson.
At the IRGC's next meeting, July 12th Lamberti says he expects the commission to give MRHD and Penn an initial extension on their license through March of 2013.
Both groups had submitted a request to extend the license through 2015.
We contacted Penn National Gaming for this story, but our message was not returned, Monday.
