Casino liquor going to vote

By Orlan Love
The Cedar Rapids Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Eligible members of the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa will vote March 25 on a proposal to sell alcoholic beverages at the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel.

The Meskwaki Tribal Council put forth the proposal again as a means to increase the casino’s revenue and improve its competitive position, according to Edward Samson, assistant director of tribal operations.

Among 20 casinos operating in Iowa, only the Meskwaki casino does not sell alcohol.

Samson said it’s hard to tell if the new Isle Casino & Hotel in Waterloo is cutting into the Meskwaki casino’s business.

The new Isle facility, which opened in late June about 40 miles north of the Meskwaki casino, generated nearly $38.7 million in revenue by the end of last year, according to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

The Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, which opened south of Iowa City racked up revenue totaling $43 million.
in the second half of last year.

Alcohol has never been sold on the Meskwaki Settlement west of Tama since the ancestors of the tribe’s 1,300 members settled there in 1857.

Many tribal members want to maintain that tradition, citing health risks associated with drinking and the damage to families caused by excessive alcohol consumption.