(Radio Iowa) – Several changes are in the works in this new year for Iowa’s casino industry, including more casinos leaving the water for land. Racing and Gaming Administrator Tina Eick (Ike) says things have moved right along and the new casino in Cedar Rapids should open in December of this year.

The Racing and Gaming Commission recently approved the purchase of the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington by Elite Casino Resorts.

Elite Casinos also owns the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, the Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, and Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Larchwood. They plan to rename Catfish Bend as the Great River Casino Resort. The Casino Queen in Marquette was purchased last year by Ballys, and Eick says they are making a change to the state’s smallest casino.

Eick says another casino boat will also be going away this year.

Casinos were only allowed on riverboats when the law was first enacted, and those boats had to take cruises on the water. That has slowly changed through the years, leading to boats being replaced by land-based casinos.