OTTUMWA - Wapello County officials are planning a public hearing on signing a lease with Wild Rose Entertainment and the City of Ottumwa. The public hearing is not debating the casino license; that hearing will be within the next couple of months.

The next step is to prepare a presentation for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission as to why Wapello County should be selected for a license. Seven counties have applied for a license and 10 proposals have been submitted.

"Black Hawk County has three non-profit entities applying ... and Palo Alto has two," Wapello County Supervisor Steve Siegel said. The presentations will be given in March.

A decision by the IRGC on how many gaming licenses will be granted will be made in either late May or early June.

"Each county will get forty-five minutes for a presentation ... they can use it however they want," Siegel said.

Wapello County has a prime location for a casino, Siegel contends. "A casino would be in the heart of the community here, rather than in the country like a lot of the counties," he said. Siegel also said having a casino here would have direct benefits in the community.

Before the presentations start though, the agreements must be finalized between the city, county and Wild Rose.

Lease and Rental Agreements