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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Gambling911.com) - Cedar Rapids is set to open its newest casino on November 19 following a nearly ten year wait.
Cedar Crossing Casino will become the first casino located within the city limits.
“It’s a dream come true. We have opportunities and we want to be the fabric of Cedar Rapids,” general manager and executive vice president Kim Pang said. “Cedar Rapids have been waiting for this for many, many years.”
Pang announced the opening date at an Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission meeting in Dubuque on Thursday.
The project had been in the works for more than a decade with the state initially rejecting proposals for a Cedar Rapids casino in 2014 and 2017. A third proposal had to wait out a two-year casino moratorium the Iowa Legislature passed in 2022.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission ultimately approved the $275 million development a go in 2025. The project also faced legal challenges from Riverside Casino, which is currently the closest casino to Cedar Rapids. The Riverside Casino is located 35 miles away and features more than 800 slot machines, live table games, a dedicated poker room and sportsbook.
Cedar Crossing will include 700 slot machines, 22 table games and a 1,500-seat entertainment venue with concerts and events scheduled through the spring. The development also includes plans for restaurants, an Arts and Culture Center and a STEM lab.
“North of 30 days and everything is coming in line. Not to say we are ready yet, but we’re going through a lot of our checklists,” Pang said. “We will be ready with all amenities. All amenities will be ready.”
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
