About BHCGA
What We Are
The Black Hawk County Gaming Association is a corporation that holds and maintains a license to conduct gambling games in accordance with the Iowa Excursion Boat Gambling Act. The Black Hawk County Gaming Association benefits the Cedar Valley by:
- Providing property tax relief to cities and counties
- Funding capital improvements
- Making charitable contributions
Who We Are
The Board of Directors of The Black Hawk County Gaming Association includes sixteen residents of Black Hawk County, who represent the broad interest of the Cedar Valley.
Where We Do It
The Black Hawk County Gaming Association funds programs, projects and activities for organizations and communities in seven Iowa counties. Our primary focus is Black Hawk County. We also serve Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Grundy and Tama counties.
History
January, 2003: Bob Fulton, Jim Lind and Don Hoth started a petition drive to hold a referendum in Black Hawk County to approve an excursion gaming boat to be located in Black Hawk County.
May, 2003: Bob Fulton, Jim Lind and Don Hoth founded Black Hawk County Gaming Association to be the non-profit license holder of a gaming license. Also, a search was begun to select an operating partner.
August, 2003: Isle of Capri, Inc. selected as the operating partner license holder with Black Hawk County Gaming Association.
October, 2003: Black Hawk County voters approved a referendum by a 66.3% majority to have an excursion boat gaming facility in Black Hawk County.
December, 2003: Asked the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission to lift a moratorium against further gaming facilities in Iowa. The Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission declined to lift the moratorium without further direction from the state legislature.
May, 2004: After lobbying the state legislature for five months, the legislature adopted new laws regulating gaming in Iowa.
June, 2004: Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission established November 10, 2004 as date for new riverboat gambling facilities to be filed with the commission pending the commission lifting the moratorium.
September, 2004: Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission lifted the moratorium against further expansion of gaming in Iowa.
November, 2004: Black Hawk County Gaming Association and Isle of Capri, Inc. filed an application for a gaming license to be located on property at the confluence of Interstate 380, Highway 20 and Highway 218.
March, 2005: Black Hawk County Gaming Association and Isle of Capri, Inc. made a 45 minute presentation to the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission on the application for a gaming license.
April, 2005: The Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission visited the proposed site for a new gaming facility in Black Hawk County. Black Hawk County Gaming Association and Isle of Capri, Inc. made further presentations to the commission.
May, 2005: The Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission conducted a public hearing on expanding gambling in Iowa and the location of 10 applications for a gaming license.
May, 2005: Black Hawk County Gaming Association and Isle of Capri, Inc. were one of four sites awarded new gaming licenses in Iowa.
July, 2005: Isle of Capri, Inc. presented advance checks to Black Hawk County Gaming Association and the City of Waterloo. The Isle of Capri presented a gift of $1 million for a project to be decided upon by Black Hawk County Gaming Association, the City of Waterloo and Waterloo Development Corporation. Subsequently, $500,000 of this gift was given to the Waterloo Center for the Arts to add a youth pavilion with the other $500,000 reserved for the Riverloop Expo project as part of Riverfront Renaissance. $3 million was advanced to Black Hawk Gaming Association, to be repaid from future earnings, to be used for the Riverfront Renaissance project. The City of Waterloo received a $1 million advance to be used for property tax relief, the money to be repaid from future earnings.
October, 2005: A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site of the new casino.
June 30, 2007: The new casino opened with the new logo "the isle casino and hotel at Waterloo".
August, 2007: Black Hawk County Gaming Association began accepting applications for funding for projects involving property tax relief, capital improvements and charitable contribution. Currently, applications for funding will be accepted on a quarterly basis.
Board of Directors
Barbara Brown, Cedar Falls.
Former Cedar Falls City Council member. Chaired Cedar Falls Planning & Zoning Commission. Has served as President of League of Women Voters, Altrusa Club, Black Hawk Grundy Mental Health Center, Boys and Girls Club and Grin & Grow Child Care Center, and board member of Planned Parenthood. Presently serves on IDED City Development Board, Cedar Falls Public Art Committee, Iowa Women’s Foundation Chicks for Change, Community Service Building. She chairs Friends of Black Hawk Grundy Mental Health Center and Cedar Falls Community Main Street’s Business & Expansion Committee and co-chairs Cedar Falls’ ARTapalooza on Main.
2nd term expires 6/30/11
Ray Burfeind, Cedar Falls.
Retired, after 38 years of administrative positions, as CEO of Covenant Health System and Covenant Medical Center. Served as Chair of Cedar Valley United Way. Served on boards of Cedar Valley Promise, Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, and Black Hawk Leadership.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
Bryan Burton, Waterloo.
Business Consultant for ACES (Advanced Computer Engineering Solutions) in Cedar Falls. Active in Greater Cedar Valley Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Executive Committee. Member of Waterloo Ambassadors. Named to the Cedar Valley 20 under 40 leadership list. Has been Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
Bill Dotzler, Waterloo.
After serving in the military, worked at John Deere for 31 years prior to retiring. While working continued his education and received his degree from UNI. He served as a Shop Steward, Committeeman and Vice-President of UAW Local 838 Executive Board. Served three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives. Now serving his second term as State Senator. He is the Assistant Majority Leader and chairs the Economic Development Appropriations Sub-committee in the Iowa Senate.
2nd term expires 6/30/11
Kathy Flynn, Waterloo.
Vice-President of Institutional Advancement at Hawkeye Community College. Formerly served as Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Hawkeye. Served as News Director at KWLO and KFMW followed by her position as Assignment Editor at KWWL. Serves on the Greater Cedar Valley Chamber of Commerce Board, Black Hawk County Relay for Life Committee, Cedar Valley Coalition, and advisor to McElroy Trust Board.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
Robert Fulton, Waterloo.
Lawyer with Fulton, Martin, Andres law firm. Served in the Iowa Legislature for ten years, including four years as Lieutenant-Governor. Also served short term as Governor of Iowa. Has served on Democratic National Committee and as a volunteer on various local boards and committees.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
Don Hoth, Waterloo.
Held various executive positions with IBM before retiring after 27 years. Then was Executive Director of Covenant Foundation prior to retiring after 15 more years. Has served as Chair of Cedar Valley United Way, Chair of Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, Chair of Waterloo Leisure Services Commission, Chair of Black Hawk County Compensation Board. Served on many other local boards and commissions.
2nd term expires 6/30/11
Tim Hurley, Waterloo.
In 2002 he was sworn in as City Council Member representing Waterloo’s Ward 1. During his tenure on the City Council, he served on several standing and ad-hoc committees and represented the city on many boards and commissions.
During his administration, Mayor Hurley has focused on four key initiatives: economic development, improved financial health of city government, improved delivery of government services and an improved city image.
Mayor Hurley was born in Waterloo and spent his first 18 years growing up in Cedar Falls, Iowa. After graduating from Columbus High School, he pursued higher education at the University of Missouri-Rolla, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in metallurgical engineering. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Northern Iowa. He is an active member of St. Edward Parish, the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance, the Waterloo Development Corporation, Cedar Valley’s Promise, the Iowa League of Cities, Iowa Northland Regional Council of Government, the Cedar Valley Coalition, Cedar Valley United Way, Rotary Club, Exchange Club and several other community organizations.
1st term expires 6/30/12
Sharon Juon, Waterloo.
Executive Director of Iowa Northland Regional Council of Governments. Has served as Vice-President of Waterloo Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of Waterloo Downtown Council. An alumni of Iowa State University, she is an ISU Governor, member of Governors’ Board of Directors and past President of the National ISU Alumni Association. Other volunteer commitments have included Vision Iowa Board, United Way, Waterloo Ambassadors, Leadership Investment for Tomorrow (LIFT), My Waterloo Days and Covenant Foundation.
2nd term expires 6/30/11
Rick Lubben, La Porte City.
Lawyer in private practice in La Porte City. Served as member of City Council for ten years. Currently serves as Mayor of La Porte City, a position he has held since January 2000.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
Shirley Merner, Cedar Falls.
Serves as Co-Director of National Consumer Protection Technical Resource Center for the 57 SMP projects across the nation. She also directs the HVAAA/AARP Consumer Protection Call Center. Serves on many local Boards of Directors and several state committees.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
Patricia Muehl
Recently retired after selling the insurance agency she started from scratch in 1980. Past board member for Title I, Operation Threshold, Chicago Central & Commerce Credit Union, Conestoga Council of Girl Scouts, and the Evansdale Chamber of Commerce. For more than twenty years she has been the president of the Wellington Park Corporation which own a 38 unit moderate income housing project in Evansdale and a lifetime Girl Scout having served in various leadership capacities.
2nd term expires 6/30/12
Jeff Palmer, Hudson.
Works as a Firefighter/Paramedic for Waterloo Fire Rescue.
2nd term expires 6/30/11
Ruth Ratliff, Cedar Falls.
Vice-President of University of Northern Iowa Foundation. Has served in various other positions at UNI since 1976. Served as President of Cedar Falls Historical Society. Coordinates adult education for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Cedar Falls. Serves as Co-chair of UNI Connection Scholarship Committee. Involved with many community boards and agencies.
3rd term expires 6/30/12
George Scully, Waterloo.
After receiving his law degree, he had a career in banking and private law, then retired. Presently teaches at UNI and works part-time at Swisher & Cohrt law firm. Has served as President of Rotary, Exceptional Persons Incorporated and Covenant Foundation. Now serves as National President of the I-Club for the University of Iowa. Also has served on the Board of Directors of US Bank, Area Education Agency and Cedar Valley Sports and Entertainment Commission.
2nd term expires 6/30/11
Beth Knipp, Waterloo.
Although not serving as a member of the Board, she is an important element of Black Hawk County Gaming Association, serving as Executive Director. She has served as Director of Planning for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – Iowa Region, Director of Planning , Public Relations and Marketing for Covenant Health System and Director of Development for Black Hawk Grundy Mental Health Center. She has served on many local boards and committees, including Family & Children’s Council, Cedar Falls Chamber of Commerce, Cedar Valley Hospice and My Waterloo Days.
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