Q Casino (formerly Mystique and Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino) is a combination greyhound race track and casino (racino) located in Dubuque, Iowa. The casino is owned by the City of Dubuque, and operated by the non-profit Dubuque Racing Association, its license holder. It is a member of the Iowa Gaming Association, and shares a gaming license with the Diamond Jo Casino, also in Dubuque. Beginning operations on June 1, 1985, the track became a full-service casino following the introduction of table games in 2005.

Q Casino is located on Chaplain Schmitt Island, near the Mississippi River. The casino, along with attractions in the Port of Dubuque and Downtown Dubuque, have helped to create a large and growing tourism market in Dubuque.

NOTICE: Many events listed here have been canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 emergency. It is best to call ahead or check with organizer's websites to verify the status of any local event. Change Location × Dubuque, IA. We Are Q, dubuQue’s one-stop destination for a fun gaming experience, the best dining, and ‘A’ list musical and comedy entertainment.

Casino[edit]

Q Casino is the larger of Dubuque's two casinos, with 29,600 square feet (2,750 m²) of gaming space. It has 1,000 slot, keno, and video poker machines, and table games including Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Pai Gow poker, Let It Ride, Texas Hold 'em and Ultimate Texas Hold'em. The operation also has four restaurants—the Champagne Steakhouse, Bon Appetit Buffet, The Players Club Sports Bar, and The Players Club Express in the greyhound track seating area, and Houlihan's adjacent to the facility. The casino features two entertainment venues—the 'Cabaret' venue for national and 'tribute' musical performers plus the Bonkerz Comedy Club, and the 'Encore' stage in the casino for local musical acts.^[1]

History[edit]

With the onset of the 'Farm Crisis', and a successive economic recession, the Iowa State Legislature passed the Pari-mutuel Wagering Act in 1984, with the hope of jumpstarting the state's economy. The bill permitted the opening of horse and greyhoundrace tracks in Iowa. A group of Dubuque citizens, originally affiliated with the city's convention and visitors bureau, formed the independent, non-profit Dubuque Racing Association to study the feasibility of opening a race track in Dubuque. In April 1984, a 20-year, $7.9 million bond referendum was put before the voters, and passed with a 70% majority.

The following year, on June 1, 1985, the Dubuque Greyhound Park opened as Iowa's first pari-mutuel race track, and as the first non-profit greyhound race track in the nation. The facility's bonds were paid off in May 1991, 14 years ahead of schedule. In 1994, the Iowa Legislature passed another bill, allowing for the installation of slot machines at land-based casinos in the state. The Dubuque operation did so in November 1995, renaming itself the Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino.

Iowa law requires that county voters re-approve gambling every eight years. In 2002, Dubuque County voters re-approved gambling in Dubuque County with over 80% in support.

In 2009, Dubuque Greyhound Park & Casino was renamed Mystique. A $10 million renovation includes incorporating a French theme throughout the casino, as well as adding a new steakhouse, buffet, and entertainment area.^[2]

In March 2017, Mystique was again rebranded as Q Casino, to avert a trademark lawsuit by the Mystic Lake Casino.^[3][4]

Expansion[edit]

On the eve of its 20th anniversary, in May 2005, the casino completed a $33 million expansion and renovation project, tripling the size of the gaming floor to 29,000 square feet (2,700 m²). The facility also became a full-service casino, by adding table games and a poker room for the first time.^[5] The expansion greatly increased the casino's market share, with attendance rising to over a million visitors in the following year.

That same year, a 116-room Hilton Garden Inn was built adjacent to the casino, along with a Houlihan's Restaurant.

References[edit]

1. ^'Mystique facility information'. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
2. ^'Mystique Casino & Dubuque Greyhound Park history'. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
3. ^Katie Wiedemann (February 28, 2017). 'Mystique Casino changes name to Q Casino'. KCRG-TB. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
4. ^Jeff Montgomery (February 28, 2017). 'Mystique fades: Dubuque casino changing names as part of rebranding effort'. Telegraph Herald. Dubuque, IA. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
5. ^'DGP&C expansion details'(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 5, 2007.

Q Casino Dubuque Iowa Entertainment

External links[edit]

Casino In Dubuque Iowa

Coordinates: 42°31′01″N90°38′39″W / 42.51701°N 90.644208°W

Q Casino Dubuque Iowa Entertainment Expo