Yes, Bloomington is a last resort- we live in Normal, which is usually combined with Bloomington to be "Bloomington Normal"! Bettendorf...that has a casino, right? Maybe they have a hotel and some nice restaurants. I also thought I could bend the rules and just stay in a hotel or B and B that starts with "b"!
I'll vouch for Bettendorf - it's pretty fun for a weekend. There's an AMAZING italian restaurant called Trattoria Tiramisu. They used to have a website, but I can't find it.. here's some of their menu, though:
http://www.allmenus.com/ia/pleasant-valley/246127-trattoria-tiramisu/menu/dinner/
Anyway, the people that own it and work there are all from Italy and the food is amazing. Plus, they're super nice and accommodating - they make everything from scratch, so if you think of something you think would be really good that isn't on the menu, they'll cook it for you.
Another good place to check out is Harris Pizza:
www.harrispizza.com I've actually never had their pizza, but they've got pretty good appetizers and sandwiches.
The hotel I stayed at a few times [and considered using for my wedding] was actually an old abbey that was converted into a hotel, but it has since been converted into a psychiatric center.
But, I have heard that the hotel at the Isle of Capri Casino is pretty nice.
The nice thing about Bettendorf is that you're right by Moline, Rock Island and Davenport, too - so there's a ton of stuff to do right in the same area.
