Cedar Rapids casino project wins development approval

Cedar Rapids City Council has approved the development agreement for construction.

US.- Cedar Rapids City Council has voted to approve a development agreement for the proposed new casino in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While the construction now has the city’s approval, Cedar Rapids Development Group (CRDG) and the Linn County Gaming Association still need a gambling licence from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission before construction can start. The commission will vote on February 6, 2025. 

The proposed $275m development would be built on the former Cooper’s Mill site, on Cedar Rapids’ northwest side. It would feature a casino with 700 slot machines and 22 table games, plus a group of restaurants, bars, a 1,500-seat entertainment venue, an arts and cultural center and a STEM lab for families. The project would be completed within 24 months after construction begins.

Attempts to bring a casino to Cedar Rapids failed in 2014 and 2017. On both occasions, the IRGC said a new venue would take away from other nearby casinos (there are 19 licensed casinos in Iowa). Alex Dixon, president and CEO of Q Casino, has argued that allowing a casino in Cedar Rapids would hurt his Dubuque business as well as casinos in Riverside and Waterloo. Boyd Gaming, which owns and operates the Diamond Jo, also a Cedar Rapids casino would “have a negative impact on Dubuque and other markets.”