Wednesday, June 27, 2007

A few news article links

Moline moves closer to curbside recycling -QCOnline
Good job Moline, and welcome to the 1990's. We'll see what kind of uproar they have over a new $2.50 recycling fee. Probably not much of one. Nobody can throw an uproar like Davenporters.

Sonic set to open Davenport location -QCTimes
When I drove past this last week, it looked almost ready to go then. The article makes it sound like all their carhops are on skates, but that hasn't been my experience at Phoenix-area Sonics. Also, I wrongly thought that Sonic is what was going in on the NE corner of 53rd and Elmore. Since the article explains that they're looking farther south, near American, does anyone know what's going in at Elmore and 53rd?

Oh yeah, and this little bit of news...

IOC proposes expanded, land-based Bett casino -QCTimes
"Haynes said the Isle’s interest in building an expanded, land-based casino in Bettendorf does not mean it is focusing its Quad-City operations at that site. She said its casino in Davenport, the Rhythm City, is entirely separate."
Right.....
That must be why you're trying to shoehorn a cheap casino into an existing space instead of building a new, top-of-the-line hotel/casino complex near the Blackhawk.

Also, don't forget Alderman Frink's ward meeting at the River Music Experience tonight at 5pm.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's a Sonic in my old hometown of Fort Dodge, and my recollection is that they pay carhops more if they do it on skates, but in reality few if any do.

Snarky Chick said...

We really need a new organization to hold the license in Davenport so we can get some flippin attention devoted to us. I was very impressed when Malin was revealed to be looking to find someone new. If that was a negotiating stunt it hasn't worked so lets hope he has the cajones to follow through.

I can't believe Moline doesn't have curbside recycling yet. They aren't a small town.

Anonymous said...

Were was all the bitching and moaning from Moline citizens about the $2.50 recycle fee?

Just another great example of Davenport blow hards trying to slow progress and do everything on the cheap!

Is anyone there, does anyone care?

Anonymous said...

As far as finding someone else to hold the license (or run the casino-I still need flash cards to figure out who does and owns what when it comes to IA casinos) you should remember that the city couldn't get anyone else to bid on the river center a couple of years ago and wound up with the stellar 'management' group primarily cause the downtown environment and building upkeep wasn't attractive to larger management companies. Don't think that another company would be interested in just the casino license. I would think that Malin/COD would have to offer up the management of the river center and theater up to the new operations just to get anyone interested.
However it would create some much needed competition for convention business in the area.

QuadCityImages said...

Why would offering them something that loses $600,000 a year be an incentive?

Gambling is an industry where you literally can't fail to make money. Everyone talks like Rhythm City is losing money. Its not. It never will. What its doing is making less than previous years, which in the corporate world is a cardinal sin.

I don't think we'd have any trouble finding someone who wanted to build the best casino in the QC and be the #1 gambling destination. Gaming licenses are highly sought after. The problem, as the RCReader has said, is that this creates a gambling arms race.

Anonymous said...

Conservative Demo here:

Screw the casino and the losers it feeds upon!

Does anybody even try to remember what the _original_ premise and promise was when we-the-people of Iowa were asked if we'd like to permit gambling boats to operate on the navigable rivers at each end of the State?

Anonymous said...

And do you remember when a certain portion of each Iowa boat was to be reserved for "family" activities and the gambling limit of $200 was strictly enforced?

Anonymous said...

Their best casino is in Blackhawk County. Davenport is now the third wheel in the IOC-Iowa operation. Bettendorf has wagered a good deal more in the past, and so far will have a chance to be the IOC's premier QC operation. IOC will let Davenport bottom feed just enough so as to keep competition away.

Anonymous said...

53rd & Elmore - (1) Starbucks, (2) Noodles