Published on: November 21, 2025, 09:07h.
Updated on: November 21, 2025, 09:17h.
- Elite Casino Resorts anticipates finalizing its acquisition of Catfish Bend Casino and FunCity by January 2026
- The venues will be rebranded as the Great River Casino Resort
Catfish Bend Casino and the adjacent FunCity Resort in Burlington, Iowa, are set for a rebranding.
In August, Casino.org covered Elite Casino Resorts’ agreement to acquire these properties from businessman Randy Winegard. The specifics of the deal have remained confidential, as both businesses are privately owned.
This week, Elite confirmed that the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGC) has authorized the sale. For the Kehls, the founders of Elite, reacquiring Catfish Bend signifies a nostalgic return, as they operated the original riverboat version of the casino in the early ’90s.
“Today is significant for our family,” expressed Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts. “Returning to Burlington feels like coming back home.”
With the endorsement from the IRGC, Elite looks forward to closing the Catfish Bend and FunCity acquisition on January 27, 2026. Although the Kehls lead the company, it has over 1,200 employee owners.
Rebranding Catfish
Once the acquisition process is complete, the Catfish Bend facility, which transitioned to land-based operations in 2007 after Winegard purchased it from the Kehls, along with FunCity, will be rebranded. Elite Casino Resorts has announced that the combined resort will now be known as the Great River Casino Resort.
“The new name, Great River Casino Resort, reflects our pride in this community and its rich river history,” stated Kehl.
Officials from Elite have assured that all staff from Catfish Bend and FunCity will be offered their positions, with opportunities for training and development in new roles.
“We anticipate working closely with local partners during the transition to the Great River Casino Resort, while continuing to support the communities that define this region,” added Kehl.
Catfish Bend features a gaming floor of 30,000 square feet with 600 slot machines, 18 table games, a sportsbook, a poker room, and a high-limit area. FunCity offers 241 hotel rooms, 14 dining options, a bowling alley, an indoor go-kart track, laser tag, and an arcade.
Expansion of Elite
Following a failed legal attempt to establish a $275 million casino resort in Cedar Rapids—an initiative viewed as detrimental to Elite’s own Riverside Casino & Golf Resort—Kehl’s company is now focusing on southeastern Iowa. The acquisition of Catfish Bend will expand Elite’s regional footprint.
Catfish Bend is situated in southeastern Iowa, complementing Elite’s Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, which is located near the Illinois border. With Riverside approximately 35 miles south of Cedar Rapids and extending east to the Illinois border and south to Missouri, Elite is set to manage three casinos by next year. The only competitor in this broad area is the Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf, managed by Caesars Entertainment.