The Cedar River Landing on F Avenue NW in Cedar Rapids will be serving free Thanksgiving meals to anybody who needs one on Thursday.
They’ll have all the Thanksgiving essentials like turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and even pie.
They’ll start serving drinks at 11 a.m., with food coming later on at about 4 p.m.
It’s a tradition they’ve done every year for a few years now to make sure everyone is fed for the holiday and has something to be thankful for.
“It’s a lot of work but, it’s definitely worth it to see them be able to come in, come together, have smiles on their face, eat a warm Thanksgiving meal, and talk amongst other people,” General Manager Ian Upchurch said. “I just want to say all are welcome, remember to be courteous, don’t take a lot. Come in, make sure everyone gets a plate, this is for everybody. This is a free thing.”
The Cedar River Landing is also in that area where Cedar Rapids is trying to bring in a casino.
Upchurch tells Iowa’s News Now they can see both the potential upsides and downsides of the project.
“It’ll be great for the community. But, we are a little worried with some of the small businesses down here,” Upchurch said. “We’re a little concerned about that and what it may do to us and how it may impact us. But, we’re going to stay strong as long as we can.”
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission votes on Linn County’s bid for a license Feb. 6.
There’s also still a chance the state legislature could try to pass another moratorium on gaming licenses before then, when they start the new session.