Davenport plans for interstate casino - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Davenport plans for interstate casino

By: Kate Pabich
kpabich@cbs4qc.com

Davenport is one step closer to figuring out where a new land based casino will go, in place of Rhythm City.

Wednesday, one of the two remaining developers, Restoration St. Louis, pulled out of the running, with their block long hotel and casino downtown.
Leaving Ingenus Managements to take center stage.

Ingenus plans to build a large hotel casino off Interstate 80 and a small boutique casino downtown.

But not everyone is happy about the decision.

One local business doesn't think a boutique casino downtown, will do the trick.

The owner of Boozie's Bar and Grill, says he was looking forward to a big casino, like the one the developer that pulled out, had planned.
He says that would stir up business and revitalize downtown.

And with the city's plans to move forward with Ingenous, Mark McClintock doesn't think a downtown boutique will do it.
 
"A few people will go there but most will go to the big location so they won't spend any money downtown, they'll go to the interstate go to the boat and take off."
 
At Wednesday nights city council meeting Mayor Bill Gluba explained that Ingenous and it's main, interstate option, would bring in the most visitors and cash.

But that doesn't help McClintock who says losing Rhythm City means losing customers.

"It's not going to help the downtown I mean that's the only comment, anything they take from downtown is not going to help the businesses."

City leaders, like Bill Boom, say they know the stakes are high.

"There will be impacts yes. I firmly believe that there will."

And hope at the very least, the downtown boutique pans out.