New tribal casino resort ready to open this week

Area media were given a preview tour of the new Odawa Casino Resort Monday, June 18, as the facility prepared to open its doors to the public on Wednesday, June 20 at 5 p.m.

Some aspects of the facility will not be up and running until the grand opening celebration July 24, but there will be plenty to see and do from the first time folks step into the nearly 300,000-square foot casino.

"We've created a new market," said general manager Barry Milligan. "Victories (the tribe's original casino, which closed June 18) was successful, but now we have an entertainment destination."

The $140 million state-of-the-art facility features 1,500 slot machines on a 46,700-square foot gaming floor. There are two craps tables, including one for tournaments; two roulette tables; 20 blackjack tables, plus an additional six for the high limit room; and six poker tables.

While the casino, owned and operated by the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians, is certainly a gamer's dream, the facility offers far more than just gambling.

"There's something for everyone," Milligan said. "Our focus is gaming, but not everyone gambles. Everything is open to the public and we want to expose people to our facility."

The casino's Ovation Hall provides a place for anything from concerts to wedding receptions. The room, which Milligan said is currently the largest in the area, offers space for 1,000 guests in a concert setting, and 500 guests in a sit-down service setting. Comedian Bill Cosby is scheduled to perform at Ovation Hall during the grand opening on July 25.

The "O Zone" nightclub is another unique offering at the casino. O Zone has a dance floor for guests who want to cut loose, and individual "party pods" which hold eight guests and feature a personal fireplace and plasma screen television, and a stage for live entertainment in the club.

"We've been hearing more buzz about O Zone than anything,"Milligan said. "There is nothing like it in the area."

Directly across from O Zone, guests can visit Waas-no-de (meaning 'northern lights'). The "Vegas-style" buffet has room for 350 guests with over 100 food offerings, all cooked in house. The buffet will offer Chinese, Italian, American and various other ethnic foods.

"It's like no buffet you've ever had," Milligan said.

The casino is also home to Sage, a fine dining restaurant offering guests a more intimate culinary experience.

"We want Sage to be the best restaurant in the state," Milligan said.

While smoking is allowed in the facility, the casino features an air filtration system which replaces 100-percent of the building's air with fresh air 12 times per hour.

"All the air is taken out and new air is brought in," Milligan said. "You won't even be able to smell the cigarette smoke."

The casino also includes state-of-the-art water treatment equipment, natural gas generators, and downcast lighting to avoid light pollution.

"Our goal is to make as little impact on the environment as possible," Milligan said. "We're doing more for the environment than most casinos."

The Casino's impact on the local economy will be significant. When all aspects of the new facility open, there will be more than 1,000 full time employees, 500 of which are new positions.

Milligan was unsure about the total payroll, but said upwards of $30 million is a reasonable guess.

"There were over 5,000 applications," he said. "I really think we picked the cream of the crop."

The Casino is currently the second largest employer in Emmet County, behind Northern Michigan Hospital. They anticipate increasing staff and possibly surpassing the hospital. Some 30-percent of casino's workforce are tribal members, and the majority of the positions are full time and include benefits, Milligan added.

"Most of the people who work here live here," he said. "We're proud of this community and we want to give back to it with these new jobs."

Between the wide array of entertainment opportunities and the boost to the local economy, the Odawa Casino Resort is truly a remarkable addition to the community and certain to be a success, Milligan said.

"Victories was only supposed to be open for two years," he said. "It took a lot longer than we thought, but it was definitely worth it."