Q Casino is a combination greyhound race track and casino 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.
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 greyhound race 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. In March 2017, Mystique was again rebranded as Q Casino, to avert a trademark lawsuit by the Mystic Lake Casino.
Expansion
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. The facility also became a full-service casino, by adding table games and a poker roomfor the first time. 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.
