While the SF MSM blabbered about indoor pools and Events Centers during the municipal campaign they avoided the 700 Pound Gorilla in Lyon County;
The commission today 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.
We can make this into a winning hand. Real leaders in Sioux Falls will find a way to work with Lyon County as a partnership in jobs and retail opportunities on the Eastside. Instead of writing guest columns to the Gargoyle Leader that do nothing to make the situation better we can turn this into something that helps Sioux Falls. As I have said all along, the only ones to be hurt by this casino is the state’s VL coffers and a few VL casino owners. Go call a whaaabulance.
Face it, Iowa simply has their shit together when it comes to pitching major projects and getting them built. It has nothing to do with demographics, it has to do with vision and having the guts to execute a plan that just might not please everyone all the time.
As for this Casino, I say bring it on. Sioux Falls’ economy has and always will be intertwined with NW Iowa as well as SE Minnesota. There’s a huge amount of wealth in this part of Iowa, although most of it ISN’T in Lyon county at this point. And when those Iowegians finally get around to parting with some of it, they hop in the wood panelled station wagon and drive horribly over the border to Sioux Falls to spend it. Doesn’t matter if they live closer to Sioux City, they come here because..well, we aren’t Sioux City.
Many business owners in Sioux Falls have enjoyed that trend to the point of piling up their own wealth. A lot of them have returned the favor by paying through the nose to have a mansion on West Lake Okoboji, and so the cycle continues.
South Dakota has certainly benefited by the wealth drain that was created by Dakota Dunes, which ironically was developed by Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy. Did Sioux City get all pist and try to block or delay that project? Or did they see the bigger picture and pursue other opportunities, like say the Tyson Center…and so the cycle continues again.
If we really want to retaliate, lets do what we do best. The State should buy a section of land as close to this Casino as it can be while still being in SD and open up about 20 Dollar Loan Centers & title Loan places right there in one big strip mall.
I agree, our economies are interchangeable and I think the Lyon County casino will benefit retail business in Sioux Falls. Let’s just hope our city government is smart enough to jump in on the ground floor instead of fighting something that is inevitable, like the stupid smoking ban people.
I understand to a point the hand-wringing going on, but I was surprised that Chrissy Spoo from the Empire Mall agrees that it will be detrimental to her facility. With 750 new jobs just a few miles a way, along with the potential increase in tourism, they are the one place guaranteed to see some sort of bump.
Of course, Spoo was probably told by KELO their angle to the story, and just complied with their script.
i’m glad greg jamison will be leading the fight against this. haha
Fighting the project is pointless. Some supposed ‘leaders’ in Sioux Falls need to get off their fucking high horses for once and realize by holding out the olive branch to Lyon County they will have better results. We have been taking retail tax money from Minnesota and Iowa shoppers for years and years, they just want a little bit of it back. I agree with Sy, some of us should pool our money and build a check cashing joint right over the border.
And I see some people are still braindead about the resort;
http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=100075
This is a HUGE retail opportunity for Sioux Falls. Stop crying in your beer and jump on it!
Sy’s discussion is how this will play out. Attempts to curb the impact would be futile. The metro area will grow east. 8 years of property tax increases and constant penny tax more has people looking closer to Iowa or Minnesota.
Sioux Falls must learn to attract business, cut taxes, and balance power between the mayor and council. There’s growth all around but not inside city limits. Sell your house while it’s still worth something.
I live in a below average neighborhood according to Hos. I can’t sell my house.