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In order to guarantee that local workers are employed throughout the construction of Cedar Crossing Casino, the backers of a casino in Cedar Rapids signed a memorandum of understanding with local unions as part of their most recent bid to obtain a state license in 2022.
This group has been promising to build a gaming facility in Cedar Rapids for ten years. In 2022, Mike Sandler, president of the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building and Construction Trades Council, told Mike Sadler, “We’re all in with Cedar Crossing, and local unions know it will be the best casino that can be brought here, and we’re proud that it will be constructed by local tradesmen and tradeswomen.”
Since then, a lot has happened to the casino project. Cedar Crossing was halted in its tracks by a moratorium on the issuance of new casino licenses. In order to stop and void Cedar Crossing’s license, Riverside Casino & Golf Resort filed a lawsuit.
On the west bank of the Cedar River, on the outskirts of downtown Cedar Rapids, Cedar Crossing is beginning to take shape after the legal fight.
Despite all the complications, the casino developers fulfilled their pledge to employ Iowan and local workers.
According to Sadler recently, it’s essentially a pledge to use only union labor on the project, together with a promise from union members to staff the work and ensure that it is completed on schedule and within budget. It will be significant for local workers.
96% of the more than $40 million contracts given thus far for the $275 million project have gone to Iowa companies, according to Grace Nieland of The Gazette.
Ryan Companies, located in Cedar Rapids, has been appointed as the general contractor for the project by Peninsula Pacific, the operator of the casino, commonly known as P2E. Ryan will be in charge of requesting bids for certain project components.
Finding labor and supplies in Linn County is the first step, followed by searching for Iowa businesses before hiring any regional or global enterprises.
It is anticipated that the project would employ 800 construction workers between now and the casino’s December 31, 2026, opening date.
As developers get closer to other commitments, like giving local nonprofits 8% of net annual revenues—the highest percentage an Iowa casino might give—the labor promise is good news.
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