New Iowa riverboat casinos going nowhere

Sunday June 25, 2006

While most of Iowa's River Boat Casino could sail if need be, some of the newest ones are likely permanent fixtures where they sit now.

The Diamond Jo Worth Casino and the Wild Rose Casino both conform to the state's laws regarding "excursion gambling boats," yet both were constructed on bodies of water that will likely never exceed 22 feet, the Des Moines Register reports.

Before 2004 all riverboat casinos were required to cruise over 100 times a year, a requirement that was abolished by the Iowa Legislature. The revocation has changed where such establishments are built.

The Diamond Jo Worth Casino was built upon a manmade water basin that reportedly averages between 6 to 12 inches in depth and is so limited in size that the riverboat blocks out nearly all signs of water.

"Most of them will have some type of a water feature, but the customers probably wouldn't know it when they are on the casino floor, although it kind of depends upon the facility," Jack Ketterer, administrator of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, told the Register.