IOWA GREYHOUND PARK

IOWA GREYHOUND PARK. In 2017 following eight years as MYSTIQUE CASINO, the casino announced that it would be changing its name to Q Casino Resort and Hotel with extensive remodeling. DUBUQUE GREYHOUND PARK AND CASINO became the Iowa Greyhound Park. It was suggested that the name was changed to prevent litigation from Mystic Lake, a tribal casino in Minnesota. Beginning April 1, 2017 Q Casino became a 24-hour facility seven days per week. Diamond Jo Casino in Dubuque already is open 24 hours daily. The Dubuque Racing Association Board of Directors had authorized the purchase of the adjoining Hilton Garden Inn and Houlihan’s restaurant in April 2014. In 2016 the casino completed upgrades to the lobby and other public spaces. Improvements to all 116 guest rooms were planned to start in October and be completed in January, 2018 at an estimated cost of $2 million. (1)

An increase in revenue and a greater share of the local gambling market was shown in the first month under the new name, Q Casino and Hotel. March 2017 showed 7.5% greater gambling revenue than March 2016. In addition, Q received 43.1% of local gambling market compared to 41.8 percent over the same period. Concerts and live entertainment also contributed to greater revenue with the best days of gambling falling on days with shows. (2) In August, 2017 work on The Farmhouse Steaks & Chops, a new restaurant for Q Casino and Hotel, was announced. Planned for an opening on November 1, the restaurant replaced the French-themed restaurant Champagne which closed in July. (3) The total amount wagered at the park in 2017 was $4.66 million which was about 3% higher than the previous year. (4)

The Farmhouse Kitchen opened on January 18, 2018 with a capacity of 130 people. The restaurant would employ between 25-30 people, many of whom had worked previously at Champagne or Bon Appetit!. Plans were announced that an additional 80 seats would be available in the spring in an area that formerly housed Bon Appetit!, a buffet that closed in January, 2017. (5)

In 2019 wagering on races at Iowa Greyhound Park increased 14%--the fourth consecutive annual increase at the Dubuque facility. Challenges, however, faced the business including the elimination of such races in other states and the end of a subsidy supporting the park. (6) In 2014 the Mystique Casino & Resort and a casino in Council Bluffs were able to cut ties to the greyhound industry. In return, the re-named Q Casino and Hotel leased its grandstand to Iowa Greyhound Park for $1 for a five years and then renegotiate another five-year lease at the end of the first. The second five-year lease was settled in 2019 requiring Iowa Greyhound Park to pay $25,000 annually. Council Bluffs continued to pay its annual $46 million subsidy to Iowa Greyhound Park through 2022 while Q-Casino and Hotel paid is $500,000 portion through 2021. The announcement that Florida and Arkansas would eliminate greyhound racing reduced the number of states still involved in dog racing to only six. This posed the potential problem of dog breeders leaving the business--reducing the number of dogs available. (6)

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Source:

1. Montgomery, Jeff. "Mystique Fades: Dubuque Casino Changing Names as Part of Rebranding Effort," February 28, 2017, Thonline: http://www.telegraphherald.com/biztimes/articles/article_6e1457ec-9e1b-5164-b9eb-effebe71d16b.html

2. Montgomery, Jeff. " 'Q' Grows Under New Brand," Telegraph Herald, April 19, 2027, p. 3A

3. Montgomery, Jeff. "Q Starts Construction on New Restaurant," Telegraph Herald, August 16, 2017, p. 3A

4. Montgomery, Jeff. "Greyhound Wagering This year Outpaces 2016," Telegraph Herald, October 25, 2017, p. 1

5. Montgomery, Jeff. "The Farmhouse Kitchen to Open Today," Telegraph Herald, January 18, 2018, p. 5A

6. Montgomery, Jeff. "Greyhound Handle Increases 14%," Telegraph Herald, November 12, 2019, p. !A