Sioux Falls Planning Commission agrees to issue another casino license, amid concerns

The Sioux Falls Planning Commission has approved the proposal for another casino license in spite of the mounting concerns from legislators and citizen groups. The developers behind Sioux Falls’ network of Deuces and Crown casinos are pushing for a license in the southern edge of the city.

“Does this spot of land make sense as an on-sale alcohol beverage establishment?” planning commissioner Nicholas Sershen said. “Yes, it does.”

Plans for the casino and attached strip mall project were submitted by developers with Commonland II, represented by Bryant Soberg at last week’s meeting. Soberg and business partner Kirby Muilenburg have stake in a number of different of businesses, including Commonwealth Gaming and Holdings and Crown Gaming Inc.

Commonwealth is licensed to run video lottery in 10 separate Sioux Falls casinos, according to 2018 state data, Crown Gaming owns five more, and both Soberg and Muilenburg have ties to even more casinos throughout the city.