The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has approved an application for a casino license in Lyon County in northwest Iowa, but rejected requests from three others.
The commission on Thursday unanimously approved the Lyon County
casino, noting it wouldn't cut into the business of Iowa's 17 other state-licensed casinos and would draw gamblers from nearby Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The panel unanimously turned down requests from groups in Fort Dodge, Ottumwa and Tama County.
Commissioner Paul Hayes says he support the Lyon County casino because it's expected to draw 80 percent of its revenue from out-of-state gamblers. Estimates were that the other three would get less than 10 percent of their revenue from outside Iowa.
Governor Chet Culver had argued for approval of all four new casinos. Culver says they would create hundreds of new jobs and generate $250 million in economic activity.
