Last week plans were declared for a land based casino by the Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. that will cost between $55 million and $60 million. This announcement took place through a ground breaking ceremony in the casino courtyard on Wednesday. The existing riverboat casino in Iowa opened in 2000.

The new gaming floor will be 35,000 square feet and located in the current courtyard between the two Isle’s hotel towers.
It is estimated that it will take about 12 to 14 months in order to complete the project. In the south tower, Isle has started a project to renovate the hotel rooms and costs $8.5 million.

Isle president and CEO, Virginia McDowell said that the casino is a single level that includes a Lone Wolf bar and stage and a Farmer’s Pick Buffet. Lone Wold an Farmer’s Pick are company brands seen in many Isle of Capri casinos across the country.

There is expansion in the works for other Quad Cities casinos as well. Expanding casino operations in the area seems to be more of a collateral draw than harmful competition for the other casinos in the area.

Former chairman of the nonprofit group holding Davenport’s Rhythm City Casino’s gaming license, Gary Mohr, who is now a Bettendorf city council member said that all three casinos can be successful. “They’ve done that for a number of years,” Alderman Mohr said. “I think the Bettendorf boat going land-based will help draw more people from outside of our region.”

In 2014, Kehl Management Corporation that operates under the Scott Country Casino LLC purchased Rhythm City Casino in Davenport for $51 million from the Isle of Capri. Rhythm City Casino will be hosting a groundbreaking ceremony that will take place later this month for its newly planned $110 million casino. They also plan a second quarter opening in 2016.

The third Quad City casino is Jumer’s Casino & Hotel – located on Wick’s lake near the cloverleaf in Rock Island Illinois.