It’s been over a year since the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) approved a gaming license for Wild Rose Jefferson.
With the continued progress of the complex at the northwest corner of the intersection of US Highway 30 and Iowa Highway 4, the casino portion could open earlier than anticipated.
General Manager Mike Couch says work on the casino is about 75 percent complete with only minor details to finish.
“Yes, we feel comfortable that since things are moving along so well that we will probably be able to get it open sooner than we projected. But as a contingency, we’re still holding to that August 1st. We’ll definitely have it done by then.”
As far as the other two portions of the facility, Couch points out that the restaurant and lounge area has walls up and some kitchen equipment has arrived. They are waiting to put finishing touches like tables and chairs in the room. Everything has been framed for the convention center, but it’s currently being used as a storage area for the casino and restaurant.
Couch points out that once the casino is operational, it will be a matter of weeks before the restaurant and convention center are up and running. He adds that they are continuing to hire guest services and frontline staff positions. All management positions have been filled.
A special election was held on August 6, 2013, in which 57 percent of the eligible voters in Greene County cast a ballot with 75 percent voting “yes” for a casino. It was the highest first-time referendum vote for a casino in IRGC history.