Published on: February 26, 2026, 02:11h.
Updated on: February 26, 2026, 02:11h.
- Boyd Gaming’s redevelopment plan in East Peoria has received official approval.
- The Illinois Gaming Board has endorsed a new barge structure at Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino.
The Illinois Gaming Board has approved Boyd Gaming’s ambitious redevelopment project for the Par-A-Dice Hotel Casino located in East Peoria.
Following a tumultuous negotiation process, Boyd has successfully steered its focus away from the City of Peoria’s previous challenges to establish a more traditional water-based gaming operation.
The state regulators approved a modification from the original $160 million proposal, which featured a brick-and-mortar casino above a small water feature, to a development plan involving a permanently moored barge.
With the Gaming Board’s endorsement, Boyd Gaming representatives confirmed that construction on the new moored facility will commence shortly, aiming to enhance customer experience by streamlining access to the casino’s amenities and its adjacent 202-room hotel.
Boyd’s recent presentation included a revamped Par-A-Dice logo, showcasing an Art Deco-inspired design.
Peoria’s Loss
City officials from Peoria contested Boyd Gaming’s initial proposal to modernize the Par-A-Dice, questioning whether a water feature of only 1,000 gallons met the criteria for riverboat gambling under state regulations.
A 1991 intergovernmental pact mandates that all riverboat gaming must take place in East Peoria, while all land-based gambling activities are to be situated in Peoria. Both towns benefit from local gaming revenue, although revenues such as hotel, food, beverage, and entertainment taxes stay with East Peoria.
In response to Peoria’s legal counterarguments regarding Boyd’s water basin concept, which the casino branded as a “modernized riverboat,” Boyd offered to allocate 2.25% of its non-gaming revenue to Peoria—a figure estimated at $1.8 million each year.
However, the Peoria City Council narrowly rejected Boyd’s proposal in a 5-5 vote, as some members believed a more favorable deal could be struck with the casino.
Ultimately, Boyd chose to abandon the water feature approach and proceed with the barge structure, which will extend the casino entrance over the water.
Last-Ditch Efforts
Before the Illinois Gaming Board’s meeting on Thursday, Peoria requested that the state compel Boyd Gaming to maximize the gaming concession’s value, hoping the board would interpret this as a mandate to develop a land-based casino across the Illinois River.
Since 2019, Illinois gaming regulations have changed to permit riverboats to shift operations inland.
Ultimately, Boyd Gaming remains in East Peoria, where it has managed the casino since securing its license and property for $163 million from local investors in 1996.