Delivers a Gaming Experience Unlike Any Other Currently Found in Chicagoland, Indiana or Michigan
March 02, 2025: 08:00 AM EST
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 March 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 fourwindscasino.
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 fourwindscasino.
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 April 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 #
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 #
Media Contacts:
Joshua Taustein
Dresner Corporate Services
312-780-7219
jtaustein@dresnerco
David Gutierrez
Dresner Corporate Services
312-780-7204
dgutierrez@dresnerco
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