Prairie Band Casino & Resort General Manager Bill Marsh, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Chairman Joseph Rupnick and Prairie Band Potawatomi Entertainment Corporation Board of Directors’ Chairman Frank Tecumseh, share the honor of cutting through the ceremonial ribbon marking the completion of the first phase of renovations at Prairie Band Casino and Resort, located on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Common Land.
Prairie Band Casino & Resort unveiled its completed refresh to Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation tribal members at a special Ribbon Cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. on Friday, October 19, 2018. The two main features of the first expansion phase are a vibrant new gaming floor and a fully renovated hotel lobby, which includes a brand new lobby bar and coffee shop.
In the first phase of the expansion, the casino floor was updated from floor to ceiling with vibrant wall treatments, dramatic ceiling décor, prominent lighting and new carpet and flooring. Using the Prairie Band Fire Eagle logo as a source of inspiration, much of the design through the gaming floor uses the red and yellow colors in the lighting, signage, carpet and other significant details. Judy Hartley, PBCR Chief Financial Officer stated, “The wall treatments, new colors and even the ceiling elements give the large casino space depth and warmth.”
“This first phase is just the start,” said Bill Marsh, Prairie Band Casino and Resort General Manager, “2018 marks our 20th anniversary and we’re thrilled to celebrate our special birthday with a refresh of our look for our guests.”
Prairie Band Casino and Resort Marketing Director, John Tuckwin, highlights some of the features of the newly renovated hotel lobby area of the Prairie Band Casino and Resort. In the background are members of the PBCR management team.
Marsh, along with Prairie Band Potawatomi Entertain Corporation Board of Directors’ President Frank Tecumseh, and John Tuckwin, PBCR Marketing Director each spoke briefly about their unique roles in the process of the expansion and provided the crowd with an overview of what the entire expansion will entail. Afterward, Marsh, Tecumseh and Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Chairman Joseph P. Rupnick sliced the red ribbon marking the special occasion.
PBPN Tribal member and PBCR Three Fires Steakhouse employee, Paula Hopkins displays the bar bites selections prepared for PBPN tribal members to sample.
Tribal members aged 21 and older at the ceremony were able to sample the new coffee drink offerings served at the Kapi Coffee Bar. Kapi is the Prairie Band Potawatomi word for coffee. The new coffee shop has a full-service espresso bar, iced coffee, smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices and assorted bottled beverages. Food samples of sweet and spicy bacon, Mediterranean salmon skewers and steak sandwich sliders were available as a small sampling of the menu available at the bar. The bar and lounge area are located within the hotel lobby and have flat screen TVs, a comfortable lounge along with a 20-seat bar that serves local craft beers, cocktails and bar bites. Both the lobby bar and coffee shop feature design accents and textures of stone, wood and metal that complement the lobby’s overall design.
The new Kapi Coffee Bar is situated to the immediate left of the new 20-seat lobby bar, which also includes a lounge area with large TVs.
The full expansion project is set to be fully complete in the summer of 2020. Improvements will include a new 75- room hotel tower, meeting space, pool and 500-space parking garage. This second phase will begin in early 2019, starting with the renovation of the existing 24-hour Buffalo Grill. It will be an expanded and renovated restaurant scheduled to open within about three months. The new 24-hour restaurant named, Sweet Grass Bar & Grill, will be more than double in size of the current space and feature a greater selection of food and specialty drinks.
Other features of the expansion include:
-A hotel spa complete with body and face treatments and traditional massage and spa packages operated by spa professionals in a brand new luxurious spa facility
-Fitness facility and state-of-the-art exercise room
-Indoor/outdoor pool and hot tubs
-A virtual golf, sports gaming experience
-Administrative offices and additional multi-function meeting rooms adjacent and overlooking the new pool
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The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council: Thomas Wabnum, Zach Pahmahmie, Camilla Chouteau, Raphael Wahwassuck, Joseph Rupnick, Bill Evans and Wade Pahmahmie attended the ceremonial event.
The Prairie Band Potawatomi Entertainment Corporation Board of Directors: Jerry Tuckwin, Corey Mzhickteno, Frank Tecumseh, Denise Marshall and Kelly Chavez have been instrumental in overseeing the project.