Crowne Plaza closing sends big pool tournament to Waterloo

A major statewide pool tournament booked for the U.S. Cellular Center in March has been moved to Waterloo because of the planned closing of the Crowne Plaza Five Seasons Hotel for renovations at the end of February.

The event brought about 1,500 pool players to Cedar Rapids last year in the first year of a two-year agreement between the Iowa Operators of Music and Amusements and VenueWorks, which manages the U.S. Cellular Center. The five-day tournament was a major contributor to the U.S. Cellular Center's most profitable March in history.

IOMA Office Manager Jenny Duede said the group had to scramble to find another venue for its pool tournament, which requires about 200 pool tables. Fortunately, she said, facilities in Waterloo had hosted the tournament in the past, and liked the revenue potential enough that they were willing to rearrange some other events around the pool tournament.

The Ramada Hotel & Convention Center in Waterloo will be the new site for this year's tournament, according to IOMA's web site.

Duede said IOMA plans to go forward with its state dart tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center later this month, and is strongly considering returning to Cedar Rapids with the pool tournament after a project to expand the center and renovate the hotel, which the city is acquiring as part of the U.S. Cellular Center project.

The Cedar Rapids Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is working with events that were booked into the Crowne Plaza Five Seasons Hotel and the U.S. Cellular Center during the renovation period in an attempt to relocate them other facilities in the Cedar Rapids Area.

CVB Executive Director Marilee Fowler said the bureau is also doing everything in its power to pursue events that will be forced to move from the center to come back once the project is completed.

“This is a time of transition,” Fowler said.