RIVERSIDE, Iowa (KCRG) - A $35 million water park and RV resort is coming to Riverside as the community prepares for increased casino competition from Cedar Rapids.
Elite Casino Resorts broke ground Thursday on Blackjack Beach, a new RV resort, water park and event destination across Highway 22 from Riverside Casino & Golf Resort. Developers say the project will create about 150 jobs and help draw more visitors to Riverside and the surrounding region.
The groundbreaking comes more than a decade after Elite Casino Resorts CEO Dan Kehl proposed building a water park in Cedar Rapids.
In 2013, Kehl expressed interest in developing a water park and event space on city-owned land if Linn County voters rejected a proposal for a Cedar Rapids casino.
Now, as a Cedar Rapids casino moves closer to opening, Kehl is moving forward with a water park in Riverside instead.
“They drove here. They’ll drive out here again for the lake, for the water park, and for a week in the sun with their kids,” Kehl said Thursday.
Blackjack Beach will be built on a 200-acre site and include 154 RV sites, a more than 70,000-square-foot aquatic park and a clubhouse with banquet and event space.
The aquatic park will feature a 447-foot lazy river, pools, a hot tub, a 30-foot waterslide tower, an inflatable water park on the lake and a swim-up bar.
Nancy Bird, president and CEO of Greater Iowa City, Inc., said developments like Blackjack Beach can play a role in attracting workers to the region.
“When companies are recruiting talent, people aren’t just asking about the job any more. They’re asking, ‘What’s there to do? What’s it like to live here? Will my family love living here?’” Bird said.
The investment also comes at a critical time for Riverside Casino.
Cedar Crossing Casino & Entertainment Center is expected to open in Cedar Rapids later this year, creating new competition for Riverside. Studies have projected Riverside Casino could lose up to $34 million in annual revenue after Cedar Crossing opens.
Local economic development leaders say adding another attraction could help Riverside and the broader region remain competitive.
“Having a destination like this just steps away from Riverside and 20 minutes from Washington and Iowa City makes our entire region more attractive and more competitive,” Bird said.
Kehl said he believes there is room for the development to expand beyond what has already been announced.
“And I don’t think we’re going to stop there,” Kehl said. “I think the potential of this location and this RV resort is just going to keep growing.”
Construction on Blackjack Beach is starting now. The resort is expected to welcome its first guests in summer 2027.