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July 1, 1989: Legislation was enacted allowing the Racing and Gaming Commission to license qualified sponsoring organizations to conduct gambling games on excursion gambling boats in a county where the electorate approves a proposition by referendum.

EXCURSION BOAT GAMBKING REFERENCDUMS HELD IN 1989:

Aug. 29: Scott, Muscatine and Clinton counties approved referendums.

Sept. 5: Jackson County approved.

Sept. 26: Woodbury County approved.

March 8, 1990: The commission granted excursion boat gambling licenses to the following entities:

-- Southeast Iowa Regional Authority/Steamboat Southeast Inc., which began operation on May 10, 1991, as Emerald Lady, serving Burlington, Fort Madison and Keokuk.

-- Riverbend Regional Authority/Steamboat Development Corp., which began operation on April 1, 1991, as the Diamond Lady in Bettendorf.

-- Riverboat Development Authority/The Connelly Group L.P., which began operation on April 1, 1991, as the President in Davenport.

-- Missouri River Historical Development Inc./Missouri Riverboat Associates L.P. in Sioux City. After failing to secure financing, their license was revoked by the Commission Oct. 1, 1990.

January 17, 1991: An excursion boat gambling license was granted to the Clinton County Gaming Association/Mississippi Belle II Inc., which began operation on June 12, 1991, as the Mississippi Belle II in Clinton.

1992: The Director of the Department of Inspections and Appeals negotiated three Native American Indian tribal gaming compacts for the governor. The commission has no regulatory or oversight responsibility for the compacts.

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska began operation of WinnaVegas Casino near Sloan on April 30, 1992.

The Omaha Tribe of Nebraska began operation of CasinOmaha near Onawa on June 22, 1992.

The Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa began operation of Meskwaki Bingo and Casino near Tama on Dec. 31, 1992.

July 2, 1992: A three-year license was granted to the Missouri River Historical Development Inc./Sioux City Riverboat Corp., which began operation as the Sioux City Sue in Sioux City on Jan. 29, 1993.

Jan. 20, 1994: An excursion gambling boat license was granted to the Southeast Iowa Regional Riverboat Corp./Catfish Bend Casinos L.C., which began operation as Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington/Fort Madison on Nov. 16, 1994.

GAMBLING REFERENDUMS HELD IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN 1984:

May 10: Clinton and Clayton counties approved.

May 17: Lee, Des Moines, Woodbury and Scott approved.

May 17: Black Hawk racetrack enclosure failed, and Polk racetrack enclosure approved.

July 12: Jackson approved.

Sept. 27: Black Hawk racetrack enclosure failed.

Dec. 26, 1994: In Marquette and to the Missouri River Historical Development Inc./Belle of Sioux City L.P., began operation as the Belle of Sioux City on Dec. 1, 1994 in Sioux City. The Sioux City Riverboat Corp. ceased operation at that time.

Jan. 18, 1995: An excursion gambling boat license was granted to Riverbend Regional Authority/Lady Luck Bettendorf L.C., which began operation as Lady Luck on April 21, 1995, in Bettendorf. It had been approximately three years since Bettendorf was last served by a riverboat.

July 13, 1996: Operations ceased at Waterloo Greyhound Park in Waterloo.

Sept. 15, 2000: An excursion gambling boat license was granted to the Riverboat Development Authority/IOC Davenport L.C., operating as The President (operating as Rhythm City in March 2001). The change in ownership of the operation occurred Oct. 10, 2000.

Nov. 5, 2002: Gaming referenda passed in Woodbury, Jackson, Lee, Des Moines, Polk (track only), Pottawattamie (boat and track), Clarke, Clinton, Clayton, Scott and Dubuque (boat and track) counties.

GAMBLING GAME REFERENDUMS WERE HELD IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN 2003:

June 24: Worth County approved.

Sept. 16: Cerro Gordo County failed.

Oct. 10: Black Hawk County approved.

Nov. 4: Linn County failed.

May 11, 2005: The commission took action on new excursion gambling boat applications.

THE COMMISSION GRANTED A LICENSE TO THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS:

-- Diamond Jo Worth LLC/Worth County Development Authority in Worth County.

-- IOC Black Hawk County Inc./Black Hawk County Gaming Association in Waterloo.

-- Washington County Casino Resort LLC/Washington County Riverboat Foundation Inc. in Riverside.

THE COMMISSION DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE A LICENSE TO THE FOLLOWING APPLICANTS:

-- Cedar Valley Gaming Company LLC/Cedar Valley Grants Inc. in Waterloo.

-- Black Hawk County Greyhound Park & Casino LLC/National Dairy Cattle Congress Inc. in Waterloo.

March 8, 2012: The commission issued a license to Missouri River Historical Development/Belle of Sioux City L.P. d/b/a Argosy Casino Sioux City conditioned upon the parties negotiating and submitting a new operating agreement by June 7, 2012. As there was no operating agreement by June 7, the license was not renewed. However, the facility continued doing business by operation of the law.

March 5, 2013: An excursion boat gambling referendum was approved in Linn County.

On April 18, 2013: The commission granted a license to Missouri River Historical Development/Sioux City Entertainment Inc. for a gambling structure in Sioux City.

June 6, 2013: The commission denied a license to the following applicants:

-- Belle of Sioux City L.P./Greater Siouxland Improvement Association for Siouxland site.

-- Belle of Sioux City L.P./Greater Siouxland Improvement Association for Sioux City site.

-- Warrior Entertainment LLC/Siouxland Strong Inc.

April 16, 2014: The commission denied, without prejudice, the application of Cedar Rapids Development Group LLC and Linn County Gaming Association Inc.

April 16, 2014: The commission denied the 2013-14 license renewal application submitted by Belle of Sioux City L.P. for the Argosy Casino. This action set in motion an end to operation of the Argosy Casino by operation of law. The facility closed on July 31, 2014.