By: Hollie Hojek
hhojek@kcautv.com
After months of email correspondence the City of Sioux City, says it is flat out frustrated with Penn National Gaming, and the lack of communication over the Argosy Casino's leasing agreement, but Penn National Gaming is pointing the finger right back at the city. The City of Sioux City, who is in charge of extending the Argosy Casino's dock lease, says Penn National Gaming, the license holder, is not cooperating.
"It's been a month or so of effort to bring them to a point, where we can have a meeting, that's a long time especially with so much on the line," said Paul Eckert, city manager.
The lease is set to expire in January. Without a new agreement, the casino could potentially close, and 300 jobs would be lost. But Penn National Gaming says its already done its part, when it submitted a proposal to the city on October 25th. It in it suggested an extension of the lease under the current terms...until a new license holder is chosen.
"We have not had any response to the proposal. We have had several failed attempts to get together a meeting to discuss it," said Eric Shippers, spokesman for Penn National Gaming.
But the city says, that is absolutely not true...
"Penn has not described anything that we would consider a proposal. They sent an email, that said something to the effect...that they'd like to continue.. the lease as is... and that's being described as a proposal," said Eckert.
The city says that is not enough. It wants to speak directly with the President and Vice President of Penn to discuss the terms of a new lease.
"We want them here, and engaged... or at least personally on the telephone to talk through these issues," said Eckert.
But once again, Penn says it's not their fault a meeting hasn't taken place.
"It's not been a lack of trying on our part when it comes to getting some dates on the calendar to get together with the city," said Schippers.
As of Thursday night, Eckert says the city and Penn National Gaming have a phone- meeting set up for next Wednesday, where hopefully details of a new leasing agreement can be ironed out.
Essentially, a new lease agreement between the city and Penn would start in January, and expire once the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission issues a new license holder.
