Burlington, Iowa’s Catfish Bend Casino and FunCity Resort is undergoing a name change.
The arrangement between Iowa-based Elite Casino Resorts and businessman Randy Winegard to buy Catfish Bend and FunCity was covered by Casino.org in August. Since both companies are privately held, the terms of the acquisition were not made public.
This week, Elite declared that the deal had been approved by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (IRGA). For the company’s founders and longtime owners, the Kehl family, who ran the first Catfish Bend riverboat in the early 1990s, Catfish Bend’s return to the Elite portfolio is a full circle moment.
Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts, stated, “This is a meaningful day for our family.” “Coming back to Burlington is like coming home.”
Elite anticipates closing the Catfish Bend and FunCity agreement on January 27, 2026, with approval from the IRGA. Although the Kehls control Elite, the business is employee-owned and has over 1,200 unitholders.
Rebranding Catfish
Catfish Bend, which became a land-based casino in 2007 after Winegard purchased the boat from the Kehls, and FunCity will be rebranded after the sale of the casino and family-friendly amusement complex is completed. The Burlington attraction will become the Great River Casino Resort, according to Elite Casino Resorts.
Courtesy: https://www.covers.com, https://www.casino.org, https://pechanga.net
