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Four Winds Casino Resort Announces Grand Opening
Delivers a Gaming Experience Unlike Any Other Currently Found in Chicagoland, Indiana or Michigan
| Source: Four Winds Casino Resort
NEW BUFFALO, MI--(Marketwire - August 2, 2007) - The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians is
pleased to announce the grand opening of its Four Winds Casino Resort,
which sets a new standard for gaming in the Midwest. Paying homage to the
heritage of the Pokagon Band, the Four Winds Casino Resort is situated on a
beautiful landscape off of I-94 at Michigan Exit 1 in New Buffalo, Mich.
and offers 130,000 square feet of gaming space including 3,000 slot
machines and 100 table games. It also features a 165-room suite-hotel, six
restaurants, entertainment bars and retail shops. The doors will open to
the public at noon on August 2nd.
"This is a proud day for members of the Pokagon Band," said John Miller,
chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, and president and CEO
of the Pokagon Band Gaming Authority. "On behalf of the Pokagon Band, I
would like to thank the members of our Tribal Council, members of the
Pokagon community and Lakes Entertainment for helping to make this vision a
reality."
"It's an absolutely spectacular property. It has the look of a Northwoods
lodge with all the amenities of a modern casino," said Matt Harkness,
General Manager, Four Winds Casino Resort. "Our staff will offer a level
of guest service that has not been seen before in the region. We encourage
everyone to come out and experience the difference."
Upon entering Four Winds from its main entrance, guests enter an expansive
rotunda which includes two stunning fireplaces. These fireplaces pay
tribute to the Potawatomi Indians, who are known as the "Keepers of the
Fire." Over the course of the next year, renowned Native American artist
Mike Larson will paint four murals in the rotunda that symbolize
significant moments of Pokagon Band history. Materials such as copper,
cedarwood and stone can be found throughout the property, which are
utilized in many tribal ceremonies.
Players of all games are encouraged to join The W Club, the ultimate player
loyalty club, offering greater flexibility and control of earned points and
complimentaries. Club members are also entitled to exclusive slot
jackpots. Unique to Four Winds Casino Resort is the Midwest's only World
Poker Tour® Poker Room, where players have a chance to participate in
special promotions with a chance to win a seat at a World Poker Tour
satellite event, valued at $10,000. The room holds 19 PokerPro® tables
with seating for up to 158 people at a time.
In addition to its gaming attractions, the Four Winds Casino Resort also
offers six restaurants including Swimm, a gourmet seafood restaurant and
The Copper Rock Steakhouse, a white table cloth gourmet dining experience.
Other restaurants include The Willowbrook Café, serving comfort food in a
relaxed and casual twenty-four hour environment, Timbers Fast Food and
Deli, conveniently situated to offer a view of the casino floor and The
Buffet, with seating for up to 500 people. The property is also home to
Silver Creek Bistro, a cafe serving a full line of Starbucks® products as
well as an eclectic variety of fresh pastries, artisan sandwiches and
specialty salads.
"If the Four Winds Casino Resort were located in Las Vegas, it would be the
second largest casino in terms of gaming positions," said Lyle Berman, CEO,
Lakes Entertainment (NASDAQ : LACO ), which was retained by the Pokagon Band
to develop and manage the property. "It offers a full complement of slot
machines, including progressive slots linked to other Native American
casinos, ensuring the highest jackpots in the region. Also featured are
approximately 100 table games including Blackjack, Craps, No Way Craps,
Three Card Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Crazy Four, Let It Ride, Mini and Midi
Baccarat, Rapid Roulette and Roulette. We are absolutely thrilled to be
working with the Pokagon Band on this first class property."
Players at Four Winds can also experience the excitement of three entirely
new categories of slot game play from Chicago-based WMS Gaming. Slots such
as Monopoly Big Event, Top Gun and Super Money Grab provide unique player
experiences and represent the next-generation in casino entertainment. In
addition, WMS is supplying dozens of other favorites at Four Winds
including Life of Luxury, Hot Hot Super Jackpot and Hot Hot Penny.
Connected to the casino is a 165-room, suite-hotel featuring some unique
amenities. Every room features granite counter tops, leather wrapped
headboards, a flat screen high-definition television, and complimentary
Starbucks coffee. There are 98 suites available at Four Winds which
include the Junior, Deluxe and Celebrity Suites, and feature curved walk-in
showers, whirlpool jets and a wet bar with refrigerator and microwave. The
six Celebrity Suites are created in three distinct themes, the Chicago
Suites, the Harbor Suites and the Dunes Suites. They feature 60-inch
high-definition TVs complete with five-speaker surround sound, which
provides the best in audio visual entertainment.
The hotel lobby, designated hotel rooms, certain areas of the gaming floor
and the poker room are non-smoking. Retail outlets include the Four Winds
Outfitters as well as a jewelry and sports memorabilia store. Hourly child
care services are available in Kids Quest, a supervised child care center
for children six weeks to 12 years-old, as well as Cyber Quest, a
supervised arcade for older kids. Complimentary parking is available
through the casino's valet and in the outdoor lot or in the enclosed
parking garage, which is connected to the property. Guests must be 21
years or older to gamble.
A portion of funds generated by Four Winds Casino Resort will be donated to
a Michigan non-profit corporation, The Pokagon Fund. The mission of The
Pokagon Fund is to benefit communities surrounding Pokagon Band trust land,
where the Band is now conducting Class 3 gaming as defined in the Gaming
Regulatory Act (IGRA), and the New Buffalo region. Contributions can be
made to support government, charities, school districts, non-profit and
non-governmental organizations.
For more information and to make reservations, please call 1-866-4WINDS1 or
visit www.fourwindscasino.com.
About Four Winds Casino Resort
Four Winds Casino Resort is owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
and is located at 11111 Wilson Road in New Buffalo, Mich. Managed by Lakes
Entertainment, Inc., the resort offers 130,000 square feet of gaming with
3,000 slot machines and 100 table games including poker. It also features
six restaurants, entertainment bars and retail venues, and a 165-room suite
hotel, making it a premier destination resort for Midwest tourism. More
information can be found at www.fourwindscasino.com.
About The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians' Tribal Recognition was restored and
signed into law by President Clinton in September of 1994. The Tribe's ten
county service area includes four counties in Southwestern Michigan and six
in Northwestern Indiana. The Pokagon Band provides services including
housing, education, family services, medical care and cultural preservation
to approximately 3,150 members of the tribe. The Tribe's administrative
offices are located in Dowagiac, Mich. More information is available at
http://www.pokagon.com.
About Lakes Entertainment
Lakes Entertainment, Inc. currently has development and management
agreements with five separate Tribes for casino operations in Michigan,
California, and Oklahoma, for a total of eight separate casino sites. In
addition, Lakes has announced plans to develop a company owned casino
resort project in Vicksburg, Miss. The Company also owns approximately 61
percent of WPT Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ : WPTE ), a separate publicly held
media and entertainment company principally engaged in the development,
production and marketing of gaming themed televised programming including
the World Poker Tour® television series, the development and operation of
an online gaming website, the licensing and sale of branded consumer
products and the sale of corporate sponsorships. More information is
available at http://lakesentertainment.com.