(Radio Iowa) – A district court judge has struck down a lawsuit that challenged the language in the Linn County gambling referendum that allowed developers to build a casino in Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids mayor Tiffany O’Donnell says the ruling affirmed that Linn County voters knew exactly what they were voting for.  “These voters approved this back in ‘21 and have been dodging bullets and fists ever since,” she says. The lawsuit came after the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission decided not to act on the complaint about the referendum and went on to award the gambling license to Linn County. O’Donnell says the court ruling shows that was the right action.

“Really validates the will of the people here, and also validates the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, frankly.” O’Donnell says getting everything in place to build the new casino has been a long journey with multiple hurdles. The lawsuit by the operators of the Riverside Casino casino came after a market study showed it and other casinos would lose millions in revenue to the new casino in Cedar Rapids. Mayor O’Donnell has supported the casino since taking office and says they can now keep moving ahead. “Really now, this really does clear the path. I likened it to speed bumps-I knew there would be speed bumps along the way. We’ve had several. But this city, and you know, these people, are just fighters for what’s right and I couldn’t be more proud,” she says.

Work started on the Cedar Rapids casino soon after the gambling license was awarded in February.