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Actor, comedian and Iowa native Tom Arnold will be the headlining act Aug. 31, the day the casino opens. Two weeks later, "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno will take the stage in the resort's Event Center, general manager Joe Massa said.

While casino officials showcased two television commercials for the casino and resort that started airing Monday, crews continued to work on the casino. In the 12 months since construction began, about 5 percent of the work remains, Massa said.

"It's all finish work," he said, including landscaping, working on the pool and spa area and finishing the interior of the golf pro shop.

Monday also was the first day of orientation for more than 100 employees, Massa said. Another 200 employees go through a similar program today before splitting up into their individual departments for training throughout the month.

Orientation was able to start Monday because the casino and resort received its occupancy permit from the State Fire Marshal on Friday.

Staff moved from the office and construction trailers to their building offices over the weekend.

Massa said all but about 100 of the 850 employees for the casino and resort have been hired, with about 45 percent of the employees from Washington County.

To build a more than 350,000- square-foot facility in about 13 months, Fort Madison-based Frank Baxter Construction has had 65 subcontractors working on the facility, president Tony Baxter said.

Much of the work was done by local subcontractors, as shown in the two commercials.

In the commercials, construction employees comment on different aspects of the casino and resort, with their name and hometown listed at the bottom of screen.

"Man, even the wallpaper's something special," one said.

At the end of the commercials, chief executive officer Dan Kehl says, "Less than a month to go and we're already receiving rave reviews."

The commercials will air in the Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities and Des Moines areas, Massa said.

When the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort opens, it will be the 10th gaming facility within a two-hour drive of Iowa City.

Massa said officials predict 75 percent of the casino's customer base will come from within a one hour radius, but they also hope to draw people from Kansas City, Minneapolis and Chicago.

The casino features 1,181 slot machines, 24 table games and a 14-table poker room.