Local News
Kenning remains unsure on casino
Supervisors to vote on issue at Tuesday meeting
OTTUMWA — Wapello County Supervisor Greg Kenning still hasn’t made up his mind about supporting a casino near the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa.
Kenning, who voiced concerns and asked to table a decision at Tuesday’s supervisors’ meeting, said he has had a few questions answered.
“I was feeling a lot of pressure to make a decision without the answers,” Kenning said.
Supervisors aren’t making the final decision on whether Wapello County gets a casino, but they are voting whether they support the project.
Supervisor Jerry Parker has said he doesn’t support the casino at Bridge View.
Chairman Steve Siegel, a member of the River Hills River Boat Authority, has played a large role in the process of getting a casino in Wapello County.
Though Kenning’s mind still isn’t made up, he said there is one major question: What will be the role of Bridge View Inc., and how do they feel about a casino?
“Bridge View Inc. had made no decisions whether they wanted to be linked to a casino,” he said. Kenning plans to meet with Bridge View Inc. representatives, Ken Mimmack, CEO and President of Ingenus Management, and others on Monday to see where everyone stands.
“The missing piece of the puzzle right now is how Bridge View Inc. is going to enter in,” Kenning said, adding that he’s been the tie-breaking vote on other issues brought to the board.
Mimmack stressed at the Tuesday meeting how important community support is in the casino application. He believes Ottumwa and Wapello County have a viable market for a casino.
“I guess I would say Bridge View may not be the most ideal site for it but that may be all we have to work with,” Kenning said. “I don’t know at this stage of the game we can go somewhere else.”
Kenning has met with the Department of Transportation and owners of the property where the casino would go. That helped clear up his traffic control and parking questions, he said.
Initially, Kenning heard rumors that Church Street would have to be rerouted because of the casino. He later learned that won’t happen.
“Still depends on where we are with Bridge View Inc.,” he said.
The supervisors’ meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the board room on the third floor of the Wapello County Courthouse. They will vote on whether they support the casino, among other agenda items.
Pat Shaver can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or by e-mail at p.shaver@ottumwacourier.com.
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