On Wednesday, two new bills were introduced in the Iowa House and Iowa Senate to halt the development of the Cedar Crossing Casino, even though the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has granted the developers a gaming license and construction has begun.
State Representative Megan Jones (R-Clay County) and State Senator Scott Webster (R-Bettendorf) submitted companion bills in their respective chambers. The proposed legislation would prohibit urban renewal plan projects from including gaming facilities if a license were issued on or after January 1, 2025.
In December, the Cedar Rapids City Council approved an agreement with developers to construct the casino in Cedar Rapids, utilizing the Urban Renewal Act. However, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission awarded the casino license on February 6, 2025.
The commission previously denied Cedar Rapids a gaming license in 2014 and 2017. The development project is currently facing legal challenges from the Riverside Casino and the Washington County Riverboat Foundation, both of which will likely be dismissed.
The petition filed in November contends that the wording on the 2021 ballot measure to approve gaming in Linn County was incorrect, as it mentioned “continuing” gaming when no gaming existed initially. While the commission dismissed Riverside’s legal challenge, a judge is still reviewing the matter, with a hearing scheduled for Friday, February 21.
City officials and project developers began construction activities the same week the license was awarded.
Cedar Crossing Casino Details
The Casino Crossing Casino plans to transform downtown Cedar Rapids. The new facility will cost roughly $275 million and feature several restaurants, live entertainment, a STEM Lab (Science and Technology), and two bars alongside the game room floor. The game room will host 700+ slot machines, 22 table games, and an onsite sportsbook.
There are no hotel plans for the new casino facility; however, many nearby hotel options exist. The casino will also offer a shuttle service around downtown to integrate with the already established local businesses. The casino has also pledged 8% of its net adjusted gross gaming revenue to benefit local non-profit organizations.
Local Casinos In Iowa
There are currently 23 local casinos in Iowa, four of which are tribal, and the rest are commercial locations. The casinos in Iowa all allow class III gaming options, including table games, slots, blackjack, video poker, and other various electronic gaming machines. According to the American Gaming Association, the 23 local casinos contributed $1.9 billion in gross gaming revenue for 2023 and had an economic impact of $4.74 billion.
Offshore casinos outside the state’s jurisdiction offer 18+ online casino gambling in Iowa. While local casinos cannot provide their services online, no state or federal gambling laws prevent IA players from accessing online gambling sites, including casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites.