On Tuesday, 22nd August, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, the local tribe known to be the owner of the casino under construction in South Bend, announced that the realization of the casino project is going on schedule, providing the local media with a brief look from the inside.
Currently, the casino is under construction, but the local tribe announced that the gambling facility will be ready to open its doors at the beginning of the next year. This means that in less than six months the construction site will turn into a complete casino, throwing the cards in the air. The band added that the construction plan is according to schedule, pointing out that the casino is to contribute to the development of the city.
Passing by the main State Road 2 of the city, it is impossible to overlook all the builders, who are laying the foundations of the circular-shaped future casino. The most curious of you might be interested to know in which phase of the construction project is the soon-to-become gambling facility.
Exterior
The casino is to be built in the shape of a rotunda, with a circular ground plan, boasting a spectacular wooden décor. The project of the building itself reminds of the tribe’s Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo. According to some people, the circular shape featuring a wooden décor recalls of the traditional hand-made wooden baskets of the tribe. The work on the outer structure of the building and the adjacent parking space is reaching the finish line.
Interior
According to the project, the gaming floor is to occupy 55,000 square feet, offering 1,800 slot machines. The gaming facility is to offer also non-gambling options including 5 restaurants and 3 bars. One of the restaurants will also offer barbecue area and two others will offer live performances.
Additional Details
It is worth to mention that the casino will not offer casino table games such as blackjack, roulette, poker and others due to the fact that the tribe did not ask for the state’s agreement to offer such games so far. The initial project also does not include a hotel complex, but it was shared that it might be included later on once the work on the casino project is completed.
In an interview with Frank Freedman, Chief Operating Officer of Four Winds Casinos, he explained that the complex is to welcome even people, who are not interested in casino games, as the casino is located in a very strategic position, offering easy access from all sides.
Benefits for the City
Summing up all the pieces of the puzzle, it seems that the local tribe will soon celebrate the grand opening of the casino, which is to improve the financial status of the city and decrease the unemployment rate. Moreover, South Bend will attract more visitors, which will also develop the tourism sector in the city. It is worth to mention that the tribe is old in the casino trade, as it is known to operate 3 other casinos in New Buffalo, Dowagiac and Hartford.
