Potawatomi Casino Hotel Milwaukee, which is owned and operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe, has scheduled a date for the grand opening of its poker room and retail betting shop. The fresh amenities, which should officially open on May 3rd, will represent the final realization of the casino redevelopment project worth $190m.
Description of the retail sportsbook and poker room:
The Las Vegas-style sportsbook and 14-table poker room can be found in the area formerly occupied by the Northern Lights Theater on the casino’s 1st level at 1721 W. Canal St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition, in September last year, official construction officially started on both venues. Meanwhile, several self-service betting kiosks, available 24/7, have been installed at the casino.
Commenting on both venues, Potawatomi Casino Hotel CEO Dominic Ortiz commented that the fresh additions are long overdue. He also told Urban Milwaukee in September: “The city has been asking, they’ve all been waiting for poker to come back.”
As for the poker room in particular, it will include many different games involving Pot Limit Omaha, 2-5 No Limit and 1-3 No Limit. Additionally, it will provide promotions like Bad Beat Jackpot and Hourly High Hand Jackpots.
However, Ortiz also praised the “sheer ambiance” of the venues, especially the 6,500-square-foot betting shop, which is equipped with over 200 seats and includes over 20 TVs measuring up to 98 inches, a broadcast booth, and a 2,000-square-foot LED screen. Casino guests will also have ticket writers and kiosks at the bookie.
In this regard, the sportsbook’s CEO, Sean Cullen, commented that he thinks the latest venue will shape the Potawatomi casino to be “a top travel destination in the Midwest.” He added: There is not a retail betting space outside of Las Vegas that can compete with the high-end venue we’re unveiling on May 3. With the 75 kiosks we currently have, we are #2 in the country for gross gaming revenue of publicly reporting sportsbooks.”
As for the sportsbook, it will provide beverages and food among other things, including 48 beers on tap like Dealers Choice Potawatomi Pilsner, which represents the product of the partnership with City Lights Brewing Co., located just a several blocks away. In addition, the sportsbook will share beverage and food services with the adjacent poker room.
Speaking specifically about the sportsbook, Ortiz commented in a statement: “We are excited to bring the next level of an entertaining sports betting atmosphere to our guests. We appreciate the patience our guests have given us while we build out these two extraordinary projects. I can assure them, it will be well worth the wait.”
Furthermore, casino and hotel executives said the upcoming opening of the poker room and retail sportsbook will represent the last phase of a major redevelopment project for which the casino paid $200m. Previous phases of the project involved a complete makeover of the casino floor, which added a high-limit gambling room, Rock & Brews restaurant from KISS band members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, 1,800 more slot machines, and a Starbucks coffee shop.
Potawatomi Hotel and Casino income rises 1.7% as casino prepares to compete against latest rivals:
In other news, through August 2023, the Potawatomi Casino Hotel saw income grow by just 1.7% in the past 12 months to June 30, 2023. That’s because the tribe was in the process of preparing to compete against its latest rivals on the Illinois-Wisconsin border.