The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has granted a state license for a casino in Cedar Rapids. The vote this morning was 4-1.
Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell told reporters there will be a groundbreaking tomorrow for the Cedar Crossing project.
“To say that this was a long shot was an understatement,” O’Donnell said. “I have said from the very beginning this was ‘David versus Goliath’ and by god, the story ended the same way. Let’s hear it for David today.”
An attorney for the Riverside casinc says a lawsuit will be filed today challenging the commission’s decision. The legal argument? The Linn County gambling referendum approved in 2021 was worded incorrectly and the casino application should not have been considered.
Cedar Crossing developers say the plan is to open the casino on New Year’s Eve 2026.
(Check back for more on this developing story.