After more than a decade of trying to bring a casino to Linn County, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission voted 4-1 to grant a gaming license to build a planned $275 million casino and entertainment center near downtown Cedar Rapids.

Cedar Rapids is officially getting a casino. On Friday, officials broke ground on Cedar Crossing Casino, a $275 million project expected to boost the local economy. But in the Quad Cities, officials are raising concerns about what the new casino could mean for existing gaming establishments and local nonprofit funding.

Cedar Rapids will move forward with plans for a $275 million casino now that the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission authorized a gaming license for Linn County.

The new Cedar Crossing Casino and Entertainment Center in northwest Cedar Rapids is slated to open its doors on New Year’s Eve 2026, developers announced

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has granted a state license for a casino in Cedar Rapids. The vote was four-to-one. There will be a groundbreaking tomorrow for the Cedar Crossing project. “We’ll be moving dirt tomorrow,

Cedar Rapids Casino Ground Break Site 2/7/2025

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission voted to approve the application for Cedar Crossing Casino and Entertainment Center on Thursday morning at its February meeting in Altoona. Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell celebrated the decision,

During Thursday’s Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission meeting, each member of the commission delivered a statement explaining their vote on the Cedar Rapids casino project. Listen to the audio here. Read more on the 4-1 vote to approve the state casino license application here.

Cedar Crossing Casino & Entertainment center granted license by IRGC on Thursday morning