Diamond Jo Casino
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| Diamond Jo Casino | |
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| Address | 400 E. 3rd St. Dubuque, IA 52001 |
| Opening date | May 18, 1994 |
| Previous names | Casino Belle |
| Casino type | Riverboat casino |
| Theme | Las Vegas |
| Owner | Peninsula Gaming, L.L.C. |
| No. of rooms | 193 @ the adjacent Grand Harbor Resort & Waterpark |
| Total gaming space | 19,600 ft² |
| Permanent shows | none |
| Signature attractions | none |
| Notable restaurants | Diamond Deli, HighSteaks Restaurant, Jo's Café |
| Years renovated | 1995, 1999 |
| Website | Diamond Jo Casino Website |
The Diamond Jo Casino is a riverboat gambling casino located in the Port of Dubuque, in Dubuque, Iowa. The casino is owned and operated by Dubuque-based Peninsula Gaming L.L.C., which also operates the Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood, Iowa, and gambling operations in Eunice, Henderson, New Iberia, Opelousas, and Port Allen, Louisiana. It is a member of the Iowa Gaming Association, and its license is held by the Dubuque Racing Association, which operates the Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino. Beginning operations on May 18, 1994, the Diamond Jo currently has a 3-level, 305-foot, 1,500-passenger vessel in Dubuque's Ice Harbor.[1] Although the boat is currently a dockside operation and does not cruise, the casino will become land-based when its new facility opens in November 2008.
The Diamond Jo Casino is located at 400 East 3rd Street, in the rapidly-developing Port of Dubuque. The casino, along with the nearby National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and other attractions, have helped to create a large and growing tourism market in Dubuque.
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[edit] Casino
The Diamond Jo is currently the smaller of Dubuque's two casinos, with 19,600 square feet (1,820 m²) of gaming space. It has 777 slot, keno, and video poker games, and 17 table games, including: Big Raise Hold 'em, Blackjack, Craps, Four card poker, Let It Ride, Roulette, Texas Hold 'em, and Three card poker.[2] The operation also has 3 restaurants: the Diamond Deli, HighSteaks Restaurant, and Jo's Café.
[edit] History
On April 1, 1991, the Dubuque Racing Association (DRA) and local businessman Robert Kehl opened Iowa's first riverboat casino in Dubuque's Ice Harbor, the Casino Belle. This boat's operation was short-lived, however, and relocated to Missouri in 1993, following a change in ownership.[3]
Soon after, the DRA began to search for a new riverboat to operate under the gaming license already in place. The organization selected the Greater Dubuque Riverboat Entertainment Company L.C., and its boat, which was later named the Diamond Jo, following a local naming contest. The name honors businessman Joseph "Diamond Jo" Reynolds, who owned a Dubuque shipping company, among other enterprises. The "first" Diamond Jo Casino began operations on May 18, 1994. After a year and a half, in October 1995, that boat was replaced with a larger, 1,500-passenger riverboat, which is the current casino operation.[4]
In July of 1999, Dubuque-based Peninsula Gaming L.L.C. purchased the casino operation, and spent $1 million updating the riverboat.[5] Peninsula Gaming continues to operate the casino. In 2006, Peninsula opened a second Diamond Jo Casino in Northwood, Iowa, 200 miles (320 km) from Dubuque.
[edit] Expansion
In September 2006, Peninsula Gaming officials announced that the Diamond Jo would begin a major expansion, during which it would become a land-based casino. The $75 million project, set to open in November 2008, will include 1,000 slot machines, 17 table games, and a poker room in a new 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m²) casino. Also included in the project are a 36-lane bowling & entertainment center, 3 restaurants, retail stores, and a 1,130-space, $23 million parking ramp.[6]
The casino's expanded operation is part of the "America's River Project: Phase II", which will also involve a major expansion of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. The museum will take over the Diamond Jo's existing Portside Building, as well as the riverboat, and renovate them into an IMAX-like theater and exhibit space.[7]
The Diamond Jo's facilities are under construction at the NW corner of East 3rd & Bell Streets, with work set to wrap up by the end of 2008.
[edit] References
- ^ Diamond Jo's riverboat: Stats. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
- ^ Slots and table game types. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
- ^ History of the Diamond Jo: Casino Belle. Retrieved on February 15, 2007.
- ^ History of the Diamond Jo. Retrieved on February 15, 2007.
- ^ History of the Diamond Jo. Retrieved on February 15, 2007.
- ^ Diamond Jo expansion. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
- ^ Diamond Jo expansion. Retrieved on February 16, 2007.
