Boyd Gaming to Buy Peninsula Gaming

Dubuque's Diamond Jo Casino will soon have a new owner.

The Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming Corporation plans to acquire Peninsula Gaming.

The purchase price is 1.45 billion dollars.

Peninsula is the Diamond Jo's current owner.

The deal also includes four other Peninsula properties including the Diamond Jo Worth Casino in Northwood, Iowa. The Kansas Star Casino near Wichita, and two casinos in Louisiana.

Peninsula managers say when Boyd Gaming takes over, eventually customers will have more options because Boyd owns 22 casinos.

Peninsula owns 5.

As for the employees, managers say they will soon have more options too.

The employees will have more opportunities for promotions as well as transfers to other Boyd Casinos in other states.

Diamond Jo General Manager Todd Moyer said, "Boyd bought a company and they bought a management team and team members that go with it.  They love our values and the way we treat our guests and really that's what made our company so attractive. "

According to a media release from Boyd Gaming, the sale is expected to be complete by the end of the year.