PENN GAMING IS TAKING MAYOR BOB SCOTT AND SIOUX CITY TO TASK ON THE COMPANY'S HOLLYWOOD CASINO SIOUX CITY WEBSITE.
MONDAY EVENING PENN POSTED A SERIES OF E-MAILS BETWEEN CITY OFFICIALS AND WALT FALES OF THE COMPETING HARD ROCK CASINO PROPOSAL DATING BACK TO APRIL OF 2012 THROUGH LAST FALL.
PENN OBTAINED THE E-MAILS FROM THE CITY VIA THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND ACCUSE CITY OFFICIALS OF NOT DIVULGING DETAILS ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS AND NOT BEING CONSISTENT ON WHAT THEY FAVORED IN THE CASINO PROPOSALS:
THE MAYOR SAYS IT'S NO SECRET WHAT HE SAID EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS;
SCOTT SAYS THE CITY WILLINGLY RELEASED THE E-MAILS TO PENN:
PENN GAMING FILED A PETITION IN POLK COUNTY DISTRICT COURT LAST FRIDAY TO ASK THAT THE RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO AWARD THE NEW CASINO TO THE HARD ROCK PROPOSAL BE OVERTURNED. -------------------------------------------
THE WAY SIOUX CITY'S METRO AREA POPULATION IS CALCULATED HAS BEEN CHANGED.
PLYMOUTH COUNTY HAS BEEN ADDED BY THE FEDERAL CENSUS BUREAU TO OUR METRO STATISTICAL AREA. BARBARA SLONIKER OF THE SIOUXLAND CHAMBER SAYS THE CHANGE WILL BENEFIT THE CITY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
SLONIKER SAYS RECEIVING CREDIT FOR 25-THOUSAND MORE AREA RESIDENTS MEANS SOME RETAILERS MAY TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EXPANDING TO SIOUX CITY:
THE CHAMBER HAD LOBBIED FOR SEVERAL PREVIOUS YEARS TO GET UNION COUNTY OFFICIALLY ADDED TO OUR METRO POPULATION BY THE CENSUS BUREAU.
BEFORE THAT, NORTH SIOUX CITY AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITIES WERE NOT OFFICIALLY COUNTED AS PART OF OUR METRO AREA POPULATION.