JEFFERSON – Wild Rose Jefferson has announced Kenny Rogers will headline the casino’s grand opening entertainment beginning Aug. 7.

A year after construction began in July 2014, Iowa’s newest casino will hold a three-day celebration starting with a “Token of Our Appreciation Giveaway” at 10 a.m. Aug. 7. The first 200 people will receive a commemorative .999 fine silver, custom-minted Wild Rose token.

Tickets are already sold out for Rogers’ first concert, and a second one will be held at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 8. Tickets are on sale at the Wild Rose website.

“The first show sold out in 26 hours,” said Mike Couch, general manager. “We took a chance and asked the booking agency if Mr. Rogers would do a second show and he said ‘yes.’ We are thrilled to be able to offer another performance.”

“Kenny Rogers is a legendary entertainer, and we wanted a performer of his stature to celebrate what the people of Greene County and the surrounding area have accomplished over the last two years,” said Gary Kirke, founder and chairman of Wild Rose. Building a project like this doesn’t happen without the support and effort of the community.”

Brad Morgan will perform both Aug. 7 and 8 in Coaches Corner at 9 p.m. No tickets are necessary for that show.

“This celebration is designed to live up to our slogan of ‘Small town friendly, big city wild,'” Couch said. “We kick things off with Vegas show girls, but the atmosphere will be full of good old-fashioned Iowa hospitality.”

The first dice roll will be at 5 p.m. Aug. 7, with a Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting at 6 p.m., and fireworks at 10 p.m.

Wild Rose owns casinos in Emmetsburg and Clinton. The company said the Jefferson casino-events center will add more than 250 jobs to the region with an estimated payroll of $7 million. The project features an 18,000-square foot casino with 536 slot machines and 14 table games.