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Q Casino & Resort will be celebrating their grand re-opening this Friday, May 24 through Memorial Day in Dubuque, Iowa. This weekend’s event will feature the unveiling of adjoining spaces along with drawings for a 2023 Dodge Charger SXT AWD on Saturday, May 26 and a 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T EAWD on Sunday, May 26.

Q Casino & Resort is holding a grand re-opening this Memorial Day Weekend, featuring prizes and live entertainment

On Memorial Day, $500 will be given away every 30 minutes, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., as a part of a Hot Seats promotion. Guests will have more than 50 new slot games as well. Live entertainment will also be provided for guests, in addition to $100,000 in prize giveaways and the launch of the new resort website. 

Furthermore, Q Casino & Resort now offers an upgraded center bar and lounge with bar-top slot machines and new casino games.  The Q Showroom, an entertainment venue, features a new, modernized sound system and VIP area. The new Q Sportsbook and Island Social Kitchen & Bar were also unveiled.

“This is an exciting project for Q Casino & Resort, so we are pleased to be able to have people come in and experience what we have been working on since renovations began on these spaces last October,” said Q Casino & Resort and DRA President and CEO Alex Dixon in a statement. “It has been nearly 15 years since we have completed any type of upgrades to the property, so I am confident people will come away impressed with what they see.”

The casino’s expansion plans, approved by the City of Dubuque and the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, are taking place over five phases and are scheduled to be completed in 2025. Residents of Iowa are looking forward to the completion of the multi-year project.

The recent groundbreaking ceremony for the Key Hotel – part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton – is part of Phase 4.

Of course, the fourth phase will include a rooftop restaurant.

Key Hotel is scheduled to open in the fall of 2025

“We look forward to welcoming our faithful customers to our renovated spaces, but I encourage others to visit and see what we are doing here at Q Casino & Resort,” Dixon said. “Our goal is to become a full-service resort that not only attracts visitors from all over the tri-state area but also serves as a solid anchor for the future plans for Schmitt Island – and what we are showcasing on Memorial Day weekend is one more step forward toward our vision and goals.”

Additionally, the Key Hotel is expected to open in the fall of 2025. The bar and restaurant will overlook the Mississippi River. Construction for Q Casino & Resort’s $83 million renovation project began in September 2023.

The Dubuque Racing Association, which operates Q Casino, oversaw the development of the project. DRA Chair Mike Donohue explained the project’s impact on the city of Dubuque.

“[About] $1 billion of impact locally since we got our start in 1985. Over $241 million has gone back to the city of Dubuque to help pay for operational expenses, pay for public safety, and more,” Donahue said.

Mayor Brad Cavanagh was among the supporters of the project. Q Casino’s expansion will not only benefit Dubuque, but the attraction will also drive revenue for the entire state of Iowa.

“As people come across these bridges and see what this is, start to see what truly is this shining city on a hill. To see these places that we’re creating together, because we can come together to do these things,” Cavanagh said.

“We can come together to create these partnerships and work to make sure that this happens. I have never been more excited about living in this town.”

The brick-and-mortar casino provides an alternative to online casino gambling in the Hawkeye State.

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James Foglio

James is a dedicated sportswriter. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.