Wild Rose Casino breaks ground in Clinton
TODAY: (Updated 12:56 p.m.) CLINTON, Iowa —- Gold shovels flung dirt Monday on the site of the new Wild Rose Casino and Resort, symbolizing the transition for Clinton’s riverboat casino to a land-based resort.
The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by more than 200 guests from around the area.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Watch video from the ground-breaking.
The $30 million Wild Rose Casino and Resort will be home to a 60-room hotel, themed restaurant, indoor and outdoor concert and event venue, as well as a state-of-the-art casino. The anticipated completion of the resort is mid-2008.
Tim Bollmann, Wild Rose Casino general manager, said project investors hope to see two-thirds of the traffic come from out of state and an anticipated rise in revenue.
He said the change in casino legislation has helped make the land-based casinos possible in Iowa.
“It was the right thing to do,” he said. “Now we can use the money from the water-based upkeep to maintain infrastructure, employment, and other needs.”
Though the Mississippi Belle II will close its riverfront doors after serving as the longest-running Iowa riverboat casino, Mayor LaMetta Wynn sees the opening river view as a positive attribute to the city.
“This is an exciting and long awaited time for Clinton,” Wynn said. The riverfront project also hopes to include a restaurant and further development to buildings, along with marina expansion.
The Iowa-based Wild Rose Entertainment began three years ago with its first casino opening in Emmetsburg, Iowa, in 2006.
“It’s a smooth and easy project, but it’s an involved project,” Gary Kirke, chairman and CEO of Wild Rose Entertainment, said. “The economic spin-offs will be tremendous for the community. It’s going to be everything you expect and more.”
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