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"We should have had this years ago," Herb Mohler, a local retiree.
The casino is the last of four new gambling emporia authorized two years ago by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Now, the state has 20 casinos that attract more than 20 million guests who spend more than $1 billion annually.
The new gambling facility in Waterloo was built by Isle of Capri Casinos of St. Louis, which already operates Iowa riverboat casinos in Davenport, Bettendorf and Marquette. The casino features a "Las Vegas-style gambling environment," with 1,100 slot machines and 35 table games.
Other features include guest suites with whirlpool baths and fireplaces, several restaurants, a nightclub, and a pool and spa, a spokesman for the casino said.
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The objective: compete with the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort near Iowa City and with other new Iowa casinos, said Kim Hardy, the Isle's general manager. The closest competition will be about 50 miles away at the tribal-owned Meskwaki casino and hotel.
According to Nancy Donovan, the Isle of Capri's regional vice president of operations, the arrival of the Waterloo casino will mark the introduction to Iowa of a new upscale brand of property by her company.
"We are really excited about it," she said.
The opening of the Waterloo casino is the culmination of a long push by some community leaders to bring casino gambling there.
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