Q CASINO RESORT AND HOTEL

Q CASINO RESORT AND HOTEL. In 2017 following eight years as MYSTIQUE CASINO, casino officials announced changing its name to Q Casino Resort and Hotel and the beginning of extensive remodeling. Dubuque Greyhound Park also became the IOWA GREYHOUND PARK.

The Back Waters Stage at Q Casino and Hotel set a record attendance of approximately 5,000 people attending a July concert of country star Kane Brown. Tickets were sold out in April and the attendance surpasses the previous record by more than 2,000 people. (1)

Sports betting was legalized in Iowa in 2019 and twelve days later Dubuque's first sportsbook, Q Sportsbook, opened on August 27th. The DIAMOND JO CASINO opened FanDuel Sportsbook on September 1st. Between their openings and the end of November, a total of $6,228,745 was wagered on sports at the two facilities. (2)

On December 17, 2019 officials announced plans for an "up-scale, eight-story hotel in CHAPLAIN SCHMITT ISLAND between the Q Casino and the Hilton Garden Inn. The $22 million project was unanimously approved by members of the DUBUQUE RACING ASSOCIATION board of directors. With construction to begin early in 2020, the anticipated opening would be in 2021. Q Casino CEO Jesus Aviles said the project would be "self-funded" with the casino using future revenues from the hotel to pay construction costs.

Q Casino's predecessors purchased the 114-room Hilton Garden Inn in 2014. The property's success originally led to suggestions of an expansion of the existing hotel that would add about forty rooms. The new property would be managed by Hilton and owned by Q Casino. When completed, it would be part of the Curio Collection within the Hilton company. (3)

In January, 2022 officials of the DUBUQUE RACING ASSOCIATION which acts as the license holder for both Q Casino and DIAMOND JO CASINO and leases the Q facility from the city reported that Q Casino generated an estimated $12 million in profits in 2021. These profited far exceeded the previous year which, affected by the PANDEMIC saw about $4 million in profits and even exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 when the casino generated $4.6 million in profits.

The increased profits came at a time when the DRA and the City Council were in the process of changing the agreement between them. Previously the lease had requires the casino's profits to be evenly divided between the city and local charities. The new agreement would have the profits divided three ways equally between the city, charities and organizations, and financing efforts to improve CHAPLAIN SCHMITT ISLAND. The new agreement also expected to generate more money for the city by increasing the amount the city received through leasing rent. The new agreement would increase the percentage of "coin in" from 1% to 1.5% which was expected to generate an additional $2.1 million in revenue for the city. (4)

In June, 2023 Q Casino officials, DRA officials, and the Dubuque City Council were scheduled to meet for an update on development progress for a major renovation and planned outdoor amphitheater on the Q Casino property. Work had begun on Q Casino's five-phase $75 million to $80 million renovation project which included the construction of a hotel tower with rooftop restaurant. The renovated main casino and family entertainment area was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. Work on a new hotel tower, a boutique Hilton Tapestry hotel would be finished early in 2024. This would involve an eight story high tower with 108 rooms. Other proposed projects on SCHMITT ISLAND included an amphitheater at the former greyhound racing track. The City of Dubuque was awarded a $3 million Destination Iowa grant in March for the construction which was estimated to cost over $15 million. Q Casino officials were planning in future years to open Q Cabins for guests in the form of high end, Airbnb-style bungalows. A project was expected to create a trailhead at VETERANS MEMORIAL PLAZA with projects to connect trails on the island with the rest of Dubuque. (5)

Memorial Day weekend in 2024 saw the grand-reopening of Q Casino set a new 10-year high with a reported $3.3 million in the amount of money visitors wagered across the casino's over 500 slot machines. the remodel was part of an ongoing $83 million, five-phase project. Remaining to be done were an all-ages- arcade, seven-story hotel, and facade improvements. (6)

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Source:

1. "2019: By the Numbers," Telegraph Herald, December 29, 2019, p. 1A

2. Ibid.

3. Montgomery, Jeff,"DRA Eyes 8-Story Hotel at Q-Casino," Telegraph Herald, December 18, 2019, p. 1A

4. Kruse, John, "Q Casino Sees Profits Triple; New Deal Ahead," Telegraph Herald, January 9, 2022, p. 1A

5. Reese, Kayli, "'Dream House' Takes Shape for Q Casino," Telegraph Herald, June 24, 2013, p. 1

6. Nieland, Grace, "Q Casino Sets Record and Grand Reopening," Telegraph Herald, May 29, 2024, p. 2A

See: DUBUQUE GREYHOUND PARK AND CASINO