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Gaming Guru
Top 10 facts and figures about Foxwoods Resort Casino12 June 2017
The property has been going strong since its opening, undergoing multiple renovations and additions and hitting milestones that often accompany running such a large-scale operation. As Foxwoods celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, we gathered up a few facts, figures and moments that struck us as surprising, exciting or anything in between. 10. From bingo to full-blown resort casino Foxwoods opened in 1986 with only a bingo hall to its name. After the addition of table games in 1992 and slot machines in 1993, the property became the largest resort casino in the Northern Hemisphere, with over nine million square feet of space that houses seven casinos, 2,230 hotel rooms, more than 40 dining options, two spas, six nightclubs and an 80-plus store Tanger Outlets shopping area. (Now, where to go from there?) 9. Open 24/7 for 25 years There's word that says Foxwoods was meant to close at 2 a.m. on its first day of operation for a routine cleaning, but player response was so overwhelming that the property kept its doors open. We have it on good authority that it's not just a legend. In the 25 years since, Foxwoods has never fully closed – not even when Hurricane Irene hit in 2011.
8. 'Ol' Blue Eyes' was in the house Frank, our favorite Sinatra, performed five sold-out shows to open the Fox Theater and Grand Pequot Tower hotel in 1993. He sang classics including "I've Got the World on a String," "The Best Is Yet to Come" and "My Way." Before his performance, he requested the essentials: cherry Lifesavers and Jack Daniel's whiskey. 7. Operatic excellence Luciano Pavarotti, Italian operatic tenor and one of the most successful tenors of all time, performed at Foxwoods' High Stakes Bingo Hall in 1994 for a crowd of approximately 4,000. He answered three encores, bringing his audience into the show during the final number. Some exclusive commemorative gaming chips were passed out in honor of his performance, some of which you can probably find on eBay if you're dedicated. 6. Celebrity sightings are common Foxwoods hasn't lost any of its star power over the years, and in 2008 Alicia Keys, Josh Groban and John Mayer performed for the Grand Opening of the Grand Theater. Other celebs came out in force, including Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kim Kardashian, Jenny McCarthy, John Secada, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michael Dougles, Tricia Arnold, Salt n Pepa, Nick Cannon, Quincy Jones and a few contestants from America's Next Top Model.
5. Millions of theater buffs Between Foxwoods Grand and Fox Theaters, nearly 6,000,000 guests have been entertained over as many as 5,000 concerts and events over the years. The casino continues to keep its entertainment roster full year-round. 4. Record-breaking eats In 2014, Major League eating champ, the aptly-named Joey Chestnut, set a World Record after he devoured 9.3 pounds off the bone in 10 minutes. He beat the previous record by over four pounds. Afterward, to celebrate Thanksgiving, Foxwoods donated hundreds of frozen turkeys to area families in need of help. 3. Big employee count Foxwoods, being one of the single largest employers in the region, has hired enough team members to fill Gillette Stadium's seating capacity – a little over 66,000. 2. Millions of chips An impressive 93 tons of gaming chips have been in circulation over the last 25 years. 1. Even more millions We'll leave you with these last interesting tidbits: Foxwoods' Valet attendants have parked over 23 million cars since the casino's opening. The casino has sold close to 2 million bingo daubers, worth 22 million daubs.
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Abby Messick |
Abby Messick |