Hawkeye Downs To Get Major Makeover Approved By City Council

The Hawkeye Downs you see today in Cedar Rapids is about to undergo a multi-million dollar transformation. And work will begin soon!

The Corridor Business Journal reports that the $33 million plan got a boost this week when the Cedar Rapids City Council voted unanimously to approve the development agreement with Sunline Inc. The project is a huge undertaking and will happen in two main phases. The CBJ reports that the first phase, encompassing 11 acres, will include a 45,000-square-foot expo center right next to the speedway. It will include suites overlooking the track's first turn. Also included is a 42,000-square-foot flex building, a new go-cart track, and a 900-square-foot tech barn for racecar inspections according to the CBJ.

The second phase of the project will include an 88-room hotel, a 2,500-square-foot restaurant, and a 30,000-square-foot flex building on a total of six acres according to the CBJ. The project is expected to create 32 jobs and maintain 6 current positions.

Construction work on the site is expected to begin this month with the entire project slated for completion by December 1st, 2027 according to the CBJ.

In a Facebook post, the Hawkeye Downs board of directors stated that the speedway isn't directly connected to the project, but said that it was thrilled with the plans that are about to get underway. Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell said that the project will be great for an area of the city that has long been industrial-focused according to the CBJ.

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