Jumer's expands games; RI looks for new development
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By Doug Schorpp | Thursday, June 19, 2008 |
The biggest single development project in the history of Rock Island remains on course for a December grand opening.
Jumer’s Casino and Hotel is expected to open in time for the holiday season said Bill Renk, vice president, sales and marketing.
“The exterior is basically done,” he said of the $151 million complex located near the Interstate 280 bridge at Illinois 92.
When completed, the Jumer’s project will feature a five-story, 205-room hotel, a banquet center able to seat up to 700, a 43,000-square-foot casino, a two-story parking ramp capable of holding 450 vehicles, and surface parking for 1,200 additional vehicles. There also will be four restaurants.
With the opening, Renk said, the number of employees will double from its current level of 350.
“Our casino floor is over 42,000 square feet, more twice as much as we currently have,” he said. “We will be adding more games, but even still, not as if we are doubling our games. So, this gaming floor will allow us to offer more games, but be a much more enjoyable and spacious design than we have now.”
Currently, Jumer’s Casino Rock Island — located since 1992 on the Mississippi River in downtown Rock Island — has 730 games. Once completed the new casino will have 1,200 games, he said.
“We will go up to that many, both in slots and table games, but we also are adding live poker and a high-limit slot area,” Renk said.
With a resurgence in popularity, poker is a natural choice, he said. “It was something we could never do here simply because we do not have the space.”
Because Illinois does not allow land-based casinos, Renk said, a man-made water basin is located just beneath the casino floor of the new facility. But visitors never will notice the difference. “It is one level, on solid ground,” he said. “No one would ever know.”
Currently, he said Jumer’s has four floating vessels, two of which have gaming operations. One is a restaurant and one is an administrative boat. The new Rock Island location will bring together all administrative operations, including training and accounting.
Visitors to the new site will be find four restaurants: a delicatessen, a 24-hour casual restaurant geared toward hotel guests although open to the public, an upscale steakhouse and a casino buffet.
“We now have a buffet and a small deli,” he said. “We think when people are interested in a quality, fine-dining experience, this will appeal to segments to the public beyond the gaming public.”
Rock Island city manager John Phillips said the city council has explored the possibility of “spinoff development” around the new casino. Because of nearby wetlands, some land is not usable for development. “But we certainly think there will be spinoff opportunities. There is some land suitable for development which would stimulate additional growth.” Increased tax revenues also are expected.
Renk said Casino Rock Island has helped bring some growth to the downtown area, even though traffic flow between the boat and downtown establishments has not materialized like officials had hoped when the boat entered the market.
“Certainly, in early days, there was a little more foot traffic. There was a synergy downtown,” Renk said.
“Casino Rock Island played a significant role in the redevelopment of downtown. Let us not forget what downtown was 16 years ago.”
Renk said Jumer’s now has the second smallest casino in the region. Only the Mississippi Belle II in Clinton is smaller. The new complex will give Jumer’s the largest casino in the region.
Doug Schorpp can be contacted at (563) 383-2292 or dschorpp@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
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