Iowa’s Q Casino in Dubuque Opens $75 Million Hotel
Posted on: January 8, 2026, 04:41h.
Last updated on: January 8, 2026, 04:41h.
- Q Casino now has on-site lodging
- The Iowa casino is preparing for future competition in Cedar Rapids
The Q Casino in Iowa, a former greyhound track until racing ceased in 2022, is making a big bet on being able to return play to the Dubuque property.
This week, the Q Casino opened its $75 million lodging facility dubbed The Key Hotel. The seven-story facility features 90 guestrooms, which the city is betting will overhaul the casino’s attractiveness and lure new players to the gaming floor that has more than 500 slot machines, 17 live dealer table games, and a sportsbook.
This really elevates our ability to provide an excellent experience … and ability to speak to a broader audience of customers, whether it’s the business traveler, the weekend gamer, or the weekly gamer,” Anthony Williams, president and CEO of the Q Casino + Resort, as the destination has been rebranded, told KCRG.
The Key Hotel is part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, a group of unique, boutique independent hotels that the hotelier says are known for being “deeply connected” to their destination.
The Q is owned by the City of Dubuque and functions as a revenue driver for charitable organizations in the community. Since 1985, the casino has directed more than $244 million to area nonprofits.
Dubuque Destination
Located along the convergence of the Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin borders, Dubuque sits along the Mississippi River. The city is the county seat of Dubuque in the Tri-State Area.
The Q Casino is in need of a comeback. The casino’s gaming revenue during the state’s 2025 fiscal year totaled about $46.3 million. Though 2025 marked a 5% gain on the prior year, the $46.3 million was nearly 13% less than fiscal year 2022 and 8% below fiscal year 2021.
The Q is facing new competition.
Hard Rock opened a casino in Rockford, IL, in August 2024. The gaming space with 1,300 slots, 50 live dealer table games, a poker room, and a Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook quickly became among the most successful casinos in Chicagoland. The casino generated gross gaming revenue of $143.7 million in its first 12 months, and the casino’s Hard Rock Live! concert venue regularly attracts new visitors.
In Cedar Rapids, construction continues on the $275 million entertainment destination called Cedar Crossing Casino. It’s on pace to open in December 2026.
What Hard Rock Rockford and Cedar Crossing don’t have, at least yet, is on-site lodging. While Hard Rock is partnered with nearby hotels in Rockford, and Cedar Crossing could explore the addition of a hotel once the casino is up and running, Q Casino will stand out in the interim among the three in offering casino gaming and lodging under one roof.
‘Growth Strategy’
Williams says Q Casino believes the $75 million bet on a hotel will be a winning hand.
Listen, we wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t expect a return on our investment,” Williams said. “We expect all of the $75 million and more to help elevate earnings potential. You have to have a growth strategy.”
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