Golf professional Zach Johnson implicated in Cedar Rapids casino proposal
Cedar Crossing Casino in Cedar Rapids Moves Forward After Legal Challenges
The Cedar Crossing Casino in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is making significant progress and is on track for an expected opening on New Year's Eve 2026. This development follows the end of a two-year moratorium on new casino licenses, which expired in July 2024.
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) approved the Cedar Crossing license in February 2025, with a 4-1 vote. Riverside Casino, which had legally challenged Cedar Crossing’s license based on the 2021 Linn County gambling referendum wording, decided not to pursue a final appeal, effectively removing obstacles to construction.
The $275 million Cedar Crossing Casino and Entertainment Center will feature 700 slot machines, 22 table games, a 1,500-seat performance venue, dining options including "The Clubhouse by Zach Johnson," a cultural center, and a free-access STEM lab for Linn County students. The casino plan also includes around 1,000 slot machines and 50 table games, a restaurant from a celebrity chef, and a 160,000-square-foot gaming and entertainment complex.
The casino, named "Cedar Crossing," is planned to be a $250 million gaming destination on the west side of the Cedar River. It will also include a flood wall, as part of the Cedar Rapids Development Group's latest casino bid in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Zach Johnson, a PGA Tour golfer and winner of the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship, is involved in the casino resort bid. Johnson expressed pride in the project for its potential to create jobs, revitalize the downtown area, and support not-for-profit organizations in Cedar Rapids.
Iowa's commercial gambling act, passed in 1994, does not limit the number of casinos that can be authorized. The city has owned the vacant land where the Best Western Cooper Mill hotel was since 2017. The near-term fate of the Cedar Crossing casino rests with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R), who is reviewing the two-year casino license moratorium. If she signs the bill, no new Iowa casino licenses will be granted until at least June 1, 2024.
Most of the tax money from Iowa's riverboat and land-based casinos goes to the state, but a small percentage is earmarked for nonprofits in the casino's host community. The casino backers believe the casino would generate as much as $7 million annually for local nonprofits.
The construction of the Cedar Crossing Casino and Entertainment Center is a significant step forward for Cedar Rapids, bringing new opportunities for entertainment, job creation, and community development.
- The Cedar Crossing Casino, a gaming destination in Cedar Rapids, has faced and overcome legal challenges, setting it on course for a New Year's Eve 2026 opening.
- The casino, slated to offer 700 slot machines, 22 table games, and dining options curated by Zach Johnson, a PGA Tour golfer, is part of a larger development that includes a cultural center and STEM lab.
- The $275 million Cedar Crossing Casino and Entertainment Center, featuring a 1,500-seat performance venue and a $160,000 gaming complex, is a testament to the city's efforts to revitalize its downtown area and create jobs.
- The casino, due to its potential to generate millions annually for local nonprofits, represents a significant move in the intersection of casino-culture, finance, and politics in Cedar Rapids, making headlines in general-news and business sectors, as well as in sports and golf, given Zach Johnson's involvement.
