In their battle over who gets a slice of Iowa’s gambling billions, two casino operators were cast as rivals for a decade while backers of a Cedar Rapids casino tried and tried again to open a venue less than an hour away from the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort.
After a Cedar Rapids license was rejected twice and as the would-be casino developers were preparing to try again, the rivalry took a turn.
“Any interest in joining us for the next round of applications for CR?” asked a Jan. 11, 2022, email from Jonathan Swain, president of the Cedar Rapids Development Group and board member of casino operator Peninsula Pacific Entertainment.
