Gaming News

Successful grand opening for the Four Winds Casino Resort

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lakes Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:LACO - News) is pleased to announce the successful grand opening of the Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Michigan which occurred on Thursday, August 2nd. Situated on a beautiful landscape just off of I-94 at Michigan Exit 1, we believe that Four Winds sets a completely new standard for gaming in the Midwest. Lakes Entertainment was selected by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians almost ten years ago, to develop, and manage the property.

"The Four Winds Casino Resort is truly a spectacular gaming destination with a very bright future," said Timothy J. Cope, President of Lakes Entertainment. "We are extremely pleased to have been selected by the Pokagon Band to help make its dream a reality, and look forward to showing the public how Four Winds will change perceptions about Midwest casinos." Mr. Cope continued, "The opening of this Casino Resort is a very positive step forward for Lakes as we continue our relationship with the Pokagon Band to manage this remarkable property. The opening weekend was a fantastic success as we operated at overflow capacity. Averaging over 20,000 guests a day we literally had people waiting for a machine to play."

Rivaling the number of gaming positions of many Las Vegas casinos, Four Winds features 130,000 square feet of gaming space including approximately 3,000 slot machines, 100 table games such as Blackjack, Craps, Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker and Three and Four Card Poker. Four Winds also offers the Midwest's only World Poker Tour® Poker Room, where players have a chance to participate in special promotions and get a chance to win a seat at a World Poker Tour event valued at $10,000. The room holds 19 PokerPro® tables with seating for up to 158 people at a time. Four Winds also features a 165-room suite-hotel, six restaurants, entertainment bars and retail shops.

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 in Pokagon Band history. Materials such as copper, cedarwood and stone, which are utilized in many tribal ceremonies, can be found throughout the property.

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.

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 tablecloth gourmet dining experience. Other restaurants include The Willowbrook Cafe, 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.

"The Four Winds Casino Resort offers a full complement of slot machines, including progressive slots linked to other Native American casinos, ensuring the highest jackpots in the region," said Lyle Berman, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Lakes Entertainment. "Players at Four Winds can also experience the excitement of entirely new categories of slot games that provide unique player experiences and represent the next-generation in casino entertainment. We are absolutely thrilled to be working with the Pokagon Band on this first class property."

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 jewelry, men and ladies clothing and a 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.

Grand opening festivities for Four Winds included a pre-opening press conference and property tours for media, followed by a VIP party for the Pokagon Band and their invited guests, featuring live entertainment and appearances by several celebrity guests.

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