According to the Telegraph Herald, the nonprofit license holder for Dubuque's casinos has committed to a match of up to $8 million toward a sought-after grant for development on Chaplain Schmitt Island.

The TH reported today that board members of the DRA, which legally is called the Dubuque Racing Association, unanimously voted at their monthly meeting to support up to that amount. The match would be tied to a forthcoming application for a grant from Destination Iowa, which uses federal American Rescue Plan Act money as funding for community projects aimed at improving quality of life and attracting tourists.

According to the TH, Alex Dixon, president, and CEO of Q Casino and DRA said the City of Dubuque will apply for the grant, which will focus on funding for an outdoor amphitheater and trail connections on Schmitt Island. Full grant details will be shared at the Monday, Oct. 3, City Council meeting.

"We are working steadfastly with the City of Dubuque to reimagine the area right outside our doors, which is the greyhound park,". "It's no news to us that the board came together (in the 1980s) to partner with the city to raise money to build the greyhound park, which helped sustain not only our organization but, quite frankly, this community for a number of years. That was done out of defense. Businesses were closing, and we needed to turn the tide. Now, we have the opportunity to go on offense."

DRA officials shared Schmitt Island development ideas with the Telegraph Herald last month, including the idea for an outdoor amphitheater on the greyhound track. Iowa Greyhound Park ceased operations in May of this year.

 

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