Cedar Crossing Casino Unveils Astronaut Exhibit & Entertainment

Cedar Crossing Casino in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is adding a celestial experience for gamblers.

The casino unveiled its entertainment lineup on Wednesday ahead of its launch later this year. In addition to scheduling a variety of performers, the property will include “Astronaut,” a space-themed exhibit.

Visitors will enjoy 26 different experiences, including astronaut training, rocket launches, missions, and more.

Iowa Casino adds space exhibit

The announcement was made on Sept. 30 that Cedar Crossing would open its Compass Center, the entertainment center associated with the casino complex, with the space exhibit.

“The property has truly come alive over the past several weeks,” said Kim Pang, executive vice president and general manager at Cedar Crossing.

According to plans, the Compass Center — which hosts arts, culture, education and STEM programs — will house the Astronaut exhibit from Nov. through Feb. 2027. Students in Linn County schools will be given free access on field trips.

The exhibit was created by Perth, Australia-based Scitech and produced by Imagine Exhibitions. It comes to the complex from the Canadian National Exhibition at Exhibition Place in Toronto, where it was part of the CNE Space Experience.

The casino’s leadership said that it hoped the complex would be viewed as more than just a destination with slot machines and table games.

“We want Cedar Crossing to be much more than a casino,” said Aaron Gomes, president of Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, the casino’s developer. “The Compass Center is a big part of that. It gives us a chance to bring something completely different to Cedar Rapids, starting with ‘Astronaut.’ An exhibit like this can spark a child’s curiosity and inspire a lifetime of learning. That’s exactly what we hope to accomplish.”

More than a simple casino

The exhibit was announced through a video featuring Ms. Bruner, a Swisher native, and Ms. Poppe, a Clarksville native who won “American Idol” in 2018, and retired U.S. Navy Captain Chris Cassidy, a former SEAL and astronaut. Cassidy went on three missions into space, completed 10 spacewalks, and led a crew on the International Space Station

“I hope the children who visit ‘Astronaut’ leave curious about [the] possibilities,” Cassidy said. “Some could become the scientists and engineers who make future missions possible, and some could even become our next astronauts.”

The $275 million, 160,000-square-foot project is scheduled to open in mid-November and will include a 1,500-person entertainment venue, restaurants, and an arts and cultural center. Casino leaders claim that roughly 200 employees have already been hired, but they need another 200. 

Additionally, about 700 gaming machines have arrived at the casino, Cedar Crossing Executive Vice President and General Manager Kim Pang said.

Tickets for all shows at the complex will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Oct. 9. Members of the free charter program will gain presale access 24 hours before the rest of the public. 

The full lineup is as follows:

• Not Quite Brothers - Dec. 11
• The Spazmatics - Dec. 31
• Foghat - Jan. 15, 2027
• David Koechner - Jan. 21, 2027
• KC Bruner and Maddie Poppe - Jan. 30, 2027
• Hinder - Feb. 13, 2027
• LANCO - Feb. 20, 2027
• Emo Philips and Tim Cavanagh - March 4, 2027
• Carlos Mencia - March 6, 2027
• Tammy Pescatelli - March 11, 2027
• Jimmy Pardo - April 15, 2027
• Trace Adkins - April 16, 2027
• Piff the Magic Dragon - May 8, 2027
• Tyler Henry - May 21, 2027
• Billy Gardell - May 22, 2027
• Los Lonely Boys - June 25, 2027