Undeterred by state lawmakers’ action to block new casino licenses until 2024, local casino backers have unveiled plans for a $250 million, 160,000 square-foot entertainment and cultural arts complex near downtown Cedar Rapids at the site of now-demolished Cooper’s Mill.

The Cedar Crossing casino proposal, shared exclusively with The Gazette, calls for bars, restaurants, a 1,500-capacity entertainment center and other venues along the west side of the Cedar River, between Kingston Village and Time Check Park. Gaming interests believe the complex would set a new bar for Iowa casinos.

The project also would incorporate flood control to protect the structure from rising waters.