Ameristar Casino Council Bluffs
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Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs is a riverboat casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the Missouri River directly across from Omaha, Nebraska. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn Entertainment.
- Council Bluffs, IA
- 2200 River Rd
- 41°14′35″N 95°54′36″W
| Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Ameristar Casino Hotel Council Bluffs | |
| Location |
|
| Opened | January 1996 |
| No. of rooms | 160 |
| Gaming space | 38,500 sq ft (3,580 m2) |
| Casino type | Riverboat |
| Owner | Gaming and Leisure Properties |
Operating license holder | Penn Entertainment |
| Website | CouncilBluffs.Ameristar.com |
The property includes 38,500 sq. ft. of gaming space with more than 1,500 slot machines and table games, a 160-room hotel tower, and several restaurants.
History
Ameristar Council Bluffs opened for business in January 1996. The plans called for a resort that complemented the local history, thus, the design is reminiscent of an 1800s river town. The riverboat itself is a 272 foot long and 98 foot wide vessel. Due to legal requirements at the time, the riverboat had to make 2-hour cruises down the river during excursion season, which had been April 1 to October 31.[1]
The property had been owned by Ameristar Casinos until the company was acquired by Pinnacle Entertainment in 2013. Pinnacle was then acquired by Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming (now Penn Entertainment) in 2018.
It is the only casino in Council Bluffs out of the three that is still on a riverboat. Harrah's scrapped theirs and moved the casino onto land in the same general location in 2013 after a 2007 Iowa law allowed for land-based casinos.[2]