Industry powerhouses gobble up most of Sioux Falls' remaining video lottery locations

The City Council awarded last available licenses Tuesday

Applicants pursuing the city of Sioux Falls’ remaining malt beverage licenses eligible to be a video lottery location crowded into Carnegie Town Hall Tuesday night in downtown Sioux Falls. (Joe Sneve/The Dakota Scout)

And they’re gone.

The last available malt beverage licenses eligible for video lottery in the city of Sioux Falls were issued by the City Council Tuesday night, the bulk of which went to powerhouses in the area’s bar and gambling industries.

In all, 20 licenses were awarded to Falls Casino LLC, a pair of bars owned by Sioux Falls businessman Justin Johnson, a casino ownership group that includes Commonweath Gaming & Holdings and Deuces Casino and a brewery.

The licenses were awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.

And with the city now at its cap of 186 video lottery license locations, a handful of other applicants who’d also wanted in on the remaining licenses left Carnegie Town Hall emptyhanded.

NEWS: Gaming companies scrambling for remaining video lottery locations in Sioux Falls