Cedar Rapids casino proposal: existing Iowa casinos say it could hurt business
Attempts to bring a casino to Cedar Rapids failed in 2014 and 2017.
US.- Existing casinos in Iowa have expressed concerns about the proposed Cedar Rapids casino. The Cedar Rapids Development Group (CRDG) and the Linn County Gaming Association formally presented their $275m investment blueprint to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission last week,
Alex Dixon, president and CEO of Q Casino, said 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, said a Cedar Rapids casino would “have a negative impact on Dubuque and other markets.” A feasibility study commissioned by the state gaming agency reached a similar conclusion.
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). Linn County voters approved a measure in 2021 that allows developers to seek a casino licence for the county in perpetuity.
The proposed $275m development would be built on the former Cooper’s Mill site, on Cedar Rapids’ northwest side, and feature a casino with 700 slot machines and 22 table games, plus a group of restaurants, bars, 1,500-seat entertainment venue, an arts and cultural center and a STEM lab for families.
The next step for the proposed Cedar Crossing Casino is a site visit for the commissioners at the end of the month. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission will vote on whether to grant them a licence in February 2025.
