Elite Casino Resorts has completed the acquisition of Catfish Bend Casino and FunCity Resort in Burlington, its fourth casino property in Iowa.
Following an initial agreement last August, Catfish Bend Casino and FunCity Resort officially joins the Elite Casino Resorts family and will be renamed as Great River Casino Resort & FunCity.
“The Mississippi River has always mattered here,” said Elite Casino Resorts CEO Dan Kehl. “It shaped this city, the region and played an important role in the early days of gaming in Iowa. The name Great River Casino Resort & FunCity is about honoring that history and the people who call Southeast Iowa home.
“Randy Winegard and Gary Hoyer were instrumental in keeping riverboat gaming afloat in the early 1990’s and have been great leaders for Catfish Bend and the southeast Iowa community. We look forward to maintaining and building on their legacy.”
Kehl added: “We look forward to working closely with local leaders, organizations and longtime partners as the property transitions to Great River Casino & Resort & FunCity and continues to serve as a destination for entertainment, hospitality and community engagement.”
With this acquisition, Elite Casino Resorts owns and operates seven Midwest casino resorts and adds 500 new team members to its growing team of over 3,000.
The Burlington property joins Elite’s Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport and Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Larchwood (all Iowa), Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort in Illinois, as well as Grand Island Casino Resort and the Lake Mac Casino Resort and Racetrack in Nebraska.