There have been plans to redevelop Schmitt Island for a while now. According to the board of directors of Dubuque`s casinos, renovating and expanding the Q Casino is primary to ensuring redevelopment of Schmitt Island. Q casino has announced that it plans to spend over $75 million to renovate and expand its gaming floor and services.
This decision came from the board of directors of DRA, the license holder for Dubuque`s casinos. According to the CEO and the President of the DRA and Q Casino, Alex Dixon, casino renovation and expansion is an exciting project. Alex announced that the firm was looking forward to presenting its project for approval to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.
The president continued to explain that the casino and DRA had done their homework. They believe that they are at the right point to transform the previous greyhound racing field into something useful and refreshing.
3-Phase Plan
The renovation and expansion plan is divided into five phases. First, the casino will need to relocate to a different area to allow renovation of the current casino floor. So, a transitory casino will be built at the previous greyhound racing area on the upper level.
This space is joined to the current casino space on the upper-level side of the property. All gaming machines will be relocated to the temporary casino allowing the main casino to be renovated. This could take three or four months to complete once the project starts in March.
Phase two includes renovations at the main casino floor. Among other changes, the center bar will be upgraded with bartop slot machines. Then, the gaming machines transferred to the temporary casino will be moved back to the main casino.
The plans for phase three are still incomplete. However, the casino will focus on family entertainment. This phase will focus on building a family-friendly entertainment area at the former greyhound racing grandstand area.
The sportsbook and bar will also be renovated. These will remain on the upper level while the Farmhouse restaurant on the upper level will be relocated to be replaced by other food options.
Phases Four and Five
Phase four plan goes to building a hotel tower between Q Casino and Hilton Garden Inn. This hotel might go with the Hilton branding as well. While the details for this hotel are still in the initial stages, the casino suggests that the new hotel will have 80 rooms.
The casino plans to include a restaurant on the top of the new hotel. However, the details about whether the restaurant will have both enclosed and open-air dining options are still unclear. This hotel will give a mesmerizing view of the downtown area and the bluffs of the Mississippi River.
This is not the first time Q Casino is planning to build a hotel. The Hilton officials first thought about it in 2020. Their plan was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project would be incomplete without the finishing touches. This is what will entail in phase five of the project. This phase will see that every renovated space is perfect. Landscaping and renovation of the building`s façade will also be done during this stage.
