What’s Going To Happen To Cedar Rapids Casino Land?

"Kingston Landing" is the name of one of the proposals for land that once was planned to be home to a casino. Remember that idea? Battles were fought over the idea that is now more than likely NOT going to come to pass, so the city had to start looking for other ways to fill that land at 1st St. and 1st Ave. W in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Applications have been submitted to city leaders and they include a site for Big Grove Brewery, an outdoor skating rink, a dog park, and an apartment complex. A movie theater and family activity center are also potential ideas.

A steering committee of local business leaders, lenders and other reviewers will examine the proposals over the next few weeks and make their recommendation.

Hope for a casino at the location was all but abandoned after two attempts to secure a license and build one were rejected for the site. That eight acres will now become something City Manager Jeff Pomerantz and all of us hope will become a great use of what he called a "large and important site" in a statement to the Cedar Rapids Gazette.