On Feb. 6, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) in a 4-1 vote approved a Cedar Rapids casino on the third attempt, having previously denied applications in 2014 and 2017. Over the course of the prior week, the situation made a dramatic turn—a five-year moratorium on gaming licenses, which was introduced specifically to block the Cedar Rapids casino, had been fast-tracked through the state House and appeared to be gaining momentum.
However, that momentum came crashing down in the Senate and on Feb. 4, Sen. Ken Rozenboom, who chairs the Senate State Government Committee, announced that the moratorium bill would not move forward for this session.
“According to my conversations, this bill did not have enough support from Senate Republicans to advance all the way through the Senate process,” Rozenboom said in a statement, per the Gazette. “In the interest of moving this session forward to other issues of critical importance to Iowans, I have no plans to reconsider the legislation for the remainder of this session.”
Thus, developers Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E) and the Linn County Gaming Association (LCGA) suddenly had an open lane to licensure, and regulators made their dream a reality. P2E and the LCGA have plans to develop the $275 million Cedar Crossing Casino and Entertainment Center, with 700 slots, 22 tables, a 1,500-capacity venue, a STEM lab and other amenities. The project is extremely controversial among the state’s casino industry, as market studies have concluded that the casino is likely to cannibalize revenue from existing facilities around the state.
“Today marks an exciting new chapter for the thousands of people who will benefit from new jobs, economic opportunities and entertainment possibilities created by Cedar Crossing,” Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said in a statement. “Iowa’s second-largest city has finally been given the opportunity that our residents, business leaders, nonprofits and surrounding communities have sought for years. Cedar Crossing will create new revenue for the state and bring new visitors every year – a solid win for every Iowan.”
Wasting no time following the approval, a groundbreaking ceremony was held the following day (Feb. 7).
