NORTHWOOD, Iowa &045; For Steve Miller, the vote was the biggest hurdle &045; and one he and his campaign to bring a casino to Worth County cleared easily.

A total of 2,747 voters weighed in on Tuesday’s countywide referendum on whether to allow a casino, and 2,060, or 75 percent, made an &uot;X&uot; in the yes box, giving the county the go-ahead to pursue a casino project.

&uot;This is an astounding, overwhelming, majority support,&uot; Miller said over the phone from what sounded like a celebration. &uot;It means that three out of four people support this in Worth County. We’re very, very happy with this.&uot;

Miller began pushing for the casino idea earlier this year. At first it wasn’t clear whether the idea would get off the ground, but Miller’s tireless campaigning and meetings with local government entities and citizens ended with a strong show of voter support.

The casino plan would give back money to the community with grants to school districts and a community-development grant program.

The next few steps are within grasp, Miller said. By the end of this week, he said, a non-profit organization, the Worth County Development Authority, will be formed, as required by Iowa law.

The organization can then pursue operators to run the casino. Miller said three parties have shown interest in operating the casino. He expects one to be hired within the next two to four weeks.

Finally, the city will have to apply for a permit from the state. The state has a moratorium on gambling licenses in place, but has said it would be open to granting another license.

Miller said after asking the state, he would expect to get a reply within the next two to six months.

Miller said he wants to establish regional support from surrounding Iowa and Minnesota counties, showing that there is a desire for a casino in the area. He said he’d expect the state government to be more open to the idea with that kind of backing.

Much work remains before a casino opens, but Miller said the referendum results were nonetheless important.

&uot;I think the vote was the biggest obstacle,&uot; he said. &uot;The others will be big challenges, but not as big as the vote. Still, we have a lot of work ahead of us.&uot;