Union Hands Are Building Cedar Crossing Casino

MAGAZINE STORY - Read the full 2025 magazine HERE.

After years of determination and collaboration, a long-awaited entertainment hub begins to take shape in Cedar Rapids.

For more than two decades, Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E) has been a familiar name in Iowa’s gaming industry. Since opening its Bellevue office in 1997, the company has developed and operated several successful gaming and entertainment venues across the state. But for P2E, one vision has been a goal for them for a decade. A premier entertainment destination in Cedar Rapids. That vision first took shape in 2014, when P2E proposed building a casino in Linn County. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC), rejected that application by a 4–1 vote. A second attempt in 2017 came closer, but the project was once again voted down, this time 3–2.

In 2021 new data signaled a turning point. A population and economic study of the area revealed growth and prosperity across four eastern Iowa counties, suggesting that the market could now support a new casino. Yet momentum paused again in June 2022, when Governor Kim Reynolds signed a two-year moratorium, a temporary suspension on new casino licenses, into law.

For P2E, the pause became an opportunity. During the moratorium, the company deepened its relationships with local leaders, lawmakers, and the community, building support for a project that would bring jobs, entertainment, and economic energy to Cedar Rapids. Among these relationships was the carpenters union.

The Carpenters were in support of this project as it would bring hundreds of construction jobs and a significant economic boost to the region. The NCSRCC publicly backed the Cedar Rapids casino project, actively engaging in advocacy efforts to help bring it to fruition.

When the moratorium expired on June 30, 2024, P2E moved quickly. With just 25 days to prepare before the IRGC meeting, P2E submitted their proposal for a third time. This submission for the project received overwhelming approval in a 4–1 vote, clearing the way for construction to begin.

In April 2025, P2E broke ground on the Cedar Crossing Casino & Entertainment Complex. Ryan Companies, the project’s general contractor, is leading the build. Based out of Minneapolis, Ryan opened its first satellite office in Cedar Rapids in 1993.

Exterior of the Cedar Crossing Casino Building taken in October of 2025.

Overseeing the site is Jeff Christensen (Local 308 – Cedar Rapids, IA) a Senior Superintendent, fourth-generation carpenter and 39-year union member, Christensen has been with Ryan Companies for 33 years.

When talking about his experience on the job, Jeff said, “You get 200 people on a job and get them all moving in the same direction and it can certainly be a challenge, but it’s fun. The coordination it takes is amazing, and you’ve got to do it peacefully.  When you run into a problem there’s always a solution. We can find a better way, work through it, and feel good at the end of the day.”

Jeff’s experience includes building another Iowa casino nearly 20 years ago in Waterloo, IA, making him a great fit to lead the Cedar Crossing build. As of October 2025, progress on this project is right on schedule, with close to 100 tradespeople on-site under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) that ensures wage and safety standards for those working on the casino.

Carpenters are currently busy erecting scaffolding and shaping the structure’s framework. Apprentices from signatory contractor Allied Construction are getting the opportunity to work on framing parapet walls for the building.

When complete, the Cedar Crossing Casino & Entertainment Complex will represent a $275 million investment in Cedar Rapids. The 16-acre site will be transformed into a vibrant destination featuring open public spaces, an arts and culture center, a 1,500-seat concert venue, and three restaurants. The project is generating hundreds of construction jobs and will create 524 full-time positions once open, drawing an estimated 1.1 million visitors annually.

More than a decade in the making, Cedar Crossing stands as a testament to persistence, partnership, and pride in union craftsmanship. Built with union labor, it showcases what is possible when developers, contractors, and skilled trades unite to build something lasting for both the industry and the community.

Jeff Christensen (Local 308 – Cedar Rapids, IA) overlooking the Cedar Crossing Casino project in October of 2025.

“We’re proud of the teamwork on this project,” Jeff shared. “It’s not just about building a casino—it’s about building something our community can be proud of.”