In an attempt to keep his name in the newspaper, Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Dave Nabity has called for a special legislative session to pass the Cabela’s bill.
Nabity wants special session on Cabela’s bill - Omaha World-Herald
Nabity calls for special session for ‘Cabela’s Bill’ - Lincoln Journal-Star
A few of Nabity’s reasons for a special session are listed below.
Nabity said Kansas gave tax incentives to Cabela’s and Iowa offered incentives to attract a Bass Pro Shop to Council Bluffs.
“Iowa beats us, they get the development we’re not smart enough to get because we played politics with it. They (Cabela’s) deserve to get the same types of incentives in Nebraska they got in Kansas.”
I think Nabity is smart guy, but comparing the Cabela’s situation in Nebraska to the Bass Pro Shop situation in Council Bluff’s is pretty stupid. Let me explain why. The Bass Pro Shop did not have to pay a single dime for land and they virtually received a 130,000 square-foot store for free. That doesn’t sound like an incentive package to me; that sounds like a legal bribe. Does Nebraska plan on doing the same thing for Cabelas? I don’t think so.
How could Council Bluffs afford to give the Bass Pro Shop $20 million in incentives? If you frequent this blog, then you know how. Say it with me folks… “THE CASINOS!”
Omaha World-Herald
The Southwest Iowa Foundation, a local nonprofit group, provided land. An arm of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce secured a $20 million loan to finance construction. The Iowa West Foundation, supported by casino revenues, provided $3 million to help cover the city’s costs to buy the building.
I didn’t hear the State of Iowa or the City of Council Bluffs mentioned at all in this “incentive package.” It sounds like all the work was done by the private sector. Mr. Nabity, a huge reason Iowa “beats us” in economic development is because they have groups like the Iowa West Foundation with money lying around for economic development reasons. Comparing the situation in Nebraska to the situation in Council Bluffs is like comparing apples to oranges.
There is nothing wrong with the casinos giving out money to attract business. You say bribe, but do you really think they would come to Council Bluffs, if they did not think the business would be making money?
There were not other businesses that were ‘bidding’ for the space; we need to do what we can to attract businesses anyway we can. And especially for that area of CB. The Mid-American Center is doing ‘alright’ but it could be doing alot better. It competes with the Qwest Center, and the more area attractions and businesses in the ‘park’ - it helps.
It also helps Omaha as well. Not all Cher, etc visitors just stay at CB hotels. Face it, besides for the two casino’s hotels (including the Holiday Inn attached to Ameristar) there really is not really a good sortment of hotels in CB.
We both help the other out. Even the Iowa West Foundation gives out money to Omaha, and Nebraska. It may not be the high dollar amount you would like, but they also do not request alot. They, in my opinion, give out money to areas around CB, Iowa, and Nebraska where they believe will not only benefit the area but also bring in and aid in the image of the area and help new business in the area.
It is a fine line, I admit, by giving out tax-payers & casino dollars, but it also will bring in dollars into the community.
State 29 Blog has a nice little talk about how governments all around his state and other states across the US hand out money like candy to attract businesses.
or to put it a different way:
poor people, mostly those born poor and still poor late in their lives, gave money out of hope or desperation or for entertainment to a casino, which gave some of the money to the govt which then gave their share to rich people.
no casinos will not bring us bass pro shops, and if they do I don’t want them. casinos are a blight wherever they go, and I want to make that position clear, even if some YDs don’t think the same.
yup exactly. lol
Casinos become a blight, if the community lets it. It is up to the community to take action and stand up against the casino if it does not support the community and law enforcement and illegal actions going on around it. - That includes helping those that need help in a gambling problem.
No one is forced to enter a casino. Yes, there are those that have a problem, but the casino can be a good thing if done properly.
I do not think Omaha/Nebraska had a good concept of what to do with their casino money, they never talked about setting up their own Iowa West Found.; the law makers just wanted the money, so they can spend more.
Nothing to help out communities, etc. Even if they believed that the money would somehow do that.
CB did a great job, by setting up the Iowa West Foundation, it uses not the tax money from casinos, but it uses money - profits donated by the casinos to fund its projects.
That is what advantages CB had done
Chad: the amount of money floating into Nebraska from Iowa West is comparatively infantisimal. In fact, I know of no money from Iowa West going into our problem gambling program - the money for problem gamblers in Nebraska is funded primarily through the Nebraska lottery and is woefully inadequate. We have all of the problems and virtually none of the benefits. I agree that it’s a blight, but it’s a blight that’s here to stay. There are no imaginary walls keeping the problem of the casinos out of Nebraska. Surely you know that Nebraska has long supported legalized gambling - look at the Ak-Sar-Ben years. What’s keeping casinos out of Nebraska are self serving politicians who are too lazy and stupid to work against the casino lobbyists.
okay let me just say…i think that john and i are the only two YD’s that are against bringing casinos to omaha…
I don’t really think casinos are right for Nebraska either, but I don’t really feel strongly either way.
yay! okay so now it’s three of us…we’re growing…
I may not know what program you belong to; but do you know if they have written grants to the Iowa West Foundation. They simply are not going to just hand out money to just anyone, if first they do not ask for it, and second if they do not believe it is a worth wild organization.
I do not have the list in front of me of what organizations have asked and have been granted money; I do know that the only name on top of my head right now is the Botanical Gardens, and I do believe that includes the new side exhibts of the trains being positioned outside.
I must disagree with Meg, Abbey, and John about the gambling issue.
Firstly, I can drive to the casinos in a shorter amount of time then if I were to drive to Village Pointe. The proximity of the Iowa casinos are such that Omaha/Nebraska already has casino gambling. However, Council Bluffs has benifited from the hundreds of new jobs and the increasing tax revinue. Contrary to popular belief, I have seen no statistics that prove a correlation between casinos and crime. Also, I love to gamble.
Sure the casinos brought some nice things to the Council Bluffs area. But it has happened at the expense of CB’s soul. The casinos run that town now. How do I know? I know someone who works for one of them. The casinos are terrible entities. Well, honestly I can only speak for the one I work for but I doubt the other is much different. This casino is horrible to its employees. For one thing they have a policy of keeping turnover high and expenses low. Apparently they think they can save money by firing established employees who earn more and train new ones to replace them. Saves them on benefits as well as salary. One way they push people out the door is a policy started that tried forcing people that did not have perfect teeth to get them fixed or face termination. So a 60 yr old man that worked there who was missing front teeth was told that he must pay the hundreds of dollars to replace them or he would be fired. The man was 60 something and did not want to pay for expensive dental work when he would be retiring soon. The dental plan is not free and the coverage will not pay for very much of it. My friend tried to speak up against the unfair policy, but was reprimanded. He thought it was unfair to force employees, some of whom make only $7 an hour, to pay for expensive dental work or lose their job. He quietly tipped the media. Channel 6 did nothing and ch 3 is in this particular casino’s pocket. 7 can help asked the casino about the policy, but never ran the story as far as I know. But after that the casino quieted down about the issue and released a memo ordering employees to never talk to the media and refer all media inquiries to their media relations guy. A small victory. Stay tuned, I will rant more later.
I’m so sick of everybody in Omaha/Neb acting like it’s their god giving right to have everything. So you lost out on getting a store to CB….get over it. You complain about the casinos, but you had your chance to get the same benefits we enjoy over here. “casinos are a blight wherever they go” really? So Las Vegas is worse off for having casinos? The hundreds of CB people who are working there would disagree with you. The older person who is on a fixed income and can now afford to pay property taxes would disagree. “We have all of the problems and virtually none of the benefits.” What problem? I’m a fan of using your head…..if you gamble away your rent thats your own problem. I think it’s not our problem to help those who are too stupid to use their head. Omaha sould be worried about the crime in N Omaha instead of whinning about what CB gets. If Omaha wanted to be competitive with attracting new businesses and taking care of social problems perhaps they should have not voted for a dem mayor with a small town vision.
to the manwithhisheadinthesand: saying that gambling addictions aren’t your problem is like saying that meth addictions aren’t your problem. If a gambling addict starts to embezzle from you or if a meth addict holds you up at gunpoint, believe me, it suddenly becomes your problem. And yes, they eventually wind up in prison, and then again, since you’re paying to house them, it’s your problem. Like it or not, you are your brother’s keeper. And I certainly don’t consider Fahey as having small town vision simply because he keeps the city finances in check and doesn’t spend more than the city makes, as Daub did. I thought you republicans were supposed to be fiscal conservatives.
Guess what “imthemaninthebox”? The only reason CB’s casinos are floating is Omaha. Face it, CB is an informal extension of Omaha. Without Omaha and Omahan’s patronage to the casinos, CB would still be a trailer park.
There was an increase in crime after the casinos came. It certainly was not catastrophic, but there was a discernable increase.
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