FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, Mich., ownedand operated by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the

Potawatomi (NHBP), is pleased to announce that Michigan’snewest resort-style hotel has officially opened to the public.

“Our future burns bright,” stated Homer A. Mandoka,NHBP Tribal Council Chairman. “This journey started witha spark and the opening of our resort-style hotel is a signifi-cant moment for our tribal elders and our tribal membership.As Potawatomi we are ‘Keepers of the Fire’ and we are proudto keep the fire burning strong with FireKeepers CasinoHotel.”

Located in Battle Creek, Michigan, the resort-style hotel isconveniently located along Interstate 94 at exit 104. Theexpanded facility increases local employment to approximately1,800 full and part-time employees.

The opening of FireKeepers Casino Hotel on Dec. 12,2012 marked the completion of a well-managed and executed

FireKeepers Casino Hotel Officially Opens to the Public

48 Indian Gaming January 2013

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

ChickasawNation officials conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 18 at SaltCreekCasino, marking the opening of the Nation’s firsteconomic endeavor in Grady County, OK.

“Opening of SaltCreek Casino is a significantfirst step in our vision for expanding tourism andeconomic development in Grady County.SaltCreek employs nearly 200 local residents, andwe expect it to attract more people from outsidethe area who will patronize local businesses andspur economic development and job growth foryears to come,” said Chickasaw Nation Gov. BillAnoatubby.

Located nine miles north of Chickasha, Okla.,on U.S. Highway 81, SaltCreek Casino is 36,000sq. ft. and houses more than 550 electronic gamesand six table games. It sits on 190 acres of previ-ously undeveloped land, which took a little morethan one year to properly prepare for construc-tion of the casino, said Bill Lance, CEO of theChickasaw Nation Division of Commerce.

“From the beginning of construction until today, we placedhigh importance on creating a first-class facility,” said Lance.“We took great care in building the necessary infrastructure aswell as preserving the surrounding land.”

Lance said some land improvements included the installa-tion of a 155,000-gallon water tank, dedicated turn lanes fromHighway 81 northbound and southbound lanes as well as theconstruction of an access road and twomajor bridges connect-ing the casino and highway.

In addition to the gaming amenities, SaltCreek Casinofeatures: Fork Café, a 44-seat restaurant with a home-stylemenu; a full-service Brook Bar; and Reflections, a high-end retailstore featuring such select items as Oakley sunglasses andapparel, designer purses and Bedré Fine Chocolate.

Chickasaw Nation’s New SaltCreek Casino Opens

Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby, center with large scissors, is joined by fromL-R: Pocasset Vice Mayor Mary Beets, Pocasset Mayor Christie Rainey, Bud Andrus,President, Chickasha Chamber of Commerce, SaltCreek General Manager JustinYaholam; John Kennedy, Irish Realty; Chickasaw Commerce CEO Bill Lance, Gov.Anoatubby,Lt.Gov.Jefferson Keel; tribal legislators Nancy Elliot,Toby Perkins,Mary JoGreen,Dean McManus,and Rees Architecture Vice President Jay Tullis,and projectmanager Rachel Bundy. Photo by Mike McKee.

January 2013 Indian Gaming 49

DownstreamCasino Resort has opened its second hotel, the152-room Kappa Tower, which includes the elegant Neé Spaand other new upscale amenities. The resort has added about100 new permanent jobs, and the hotel/spa expansion projectcreated 400 construction jobs this year, giving a boost to theTri-State Region’s economy.

The newKappa Tower sits side-by-side with Downstream'soriginal 222-room hotel tower, now namedOsotouy, bringingthe total room count to 374. "It's even more beautiful than Ithought it would be. We are very excited, and we are hopefulthat our guests will love it," said Downstream Chairman JohnBerrey. "We are also excited about how this will help strengthenthe local economy with the jobs it has created and with astronger destination tourist attraction."

Kappa Tower is a showcase of luxury and high-end ameni-ties designed to enhance the overall attraction of Downstreamand expand its primary market reach beyond the current100-mile radius. Highlights of the new addition include:twelve single-room luxury suites; four dual-room luxurysuites; two 1,500 sq. ft. Hospitality Suites, each featuring twooversized bedrooms with king beds, a large dining area andliving room, meeting space and bar; another 134 standarddeluxe rooms; the Neé Spa with five treatment rooms, salon,saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools; indoor swimming poolwith indoor/outdoor patio and lounge area; Lover's Leap Bar& Lounge in the Kappa Lobby; Ma-Ko-Sha` coffee shop andbakery, and a new, larger location for the Buffalo Grilleincluding private and outdoor dining.

“We already had a first-class hotel with first-class service.

So with the addition of Kappa Tower and the Neé Spa we arenow offering a more well rounded resort with a greater choiceof rooms and fine amenities,” said Downstream GeneralManager StevenDrewes. “Our guests definitely have somethingspecial to look forward to.”

Meanwhile, the previous location of Buffalo Grille, justoff of the gaming floor, was redesigned and opened this weekas a new high-limit gaming area for both table games andelectronic machines.

Design and architecture for the Phase II developmentwas provided by JCJ Architecture of Hartford, CT, and theconstruction contractor was Manhattan Construction Groupof Tulsa, OK.

Downstream Casino Resort Opens Second Hotel, Spa and New Amenities

Seneca Gaming Corporation upped the ante on casinodining today with the unveiling of the new Thunder FallsBuffet at SenecaNiagara Casino&Hotel inNiagara Falls USA.The casino’s original restaurant has been transformed throughan $8.5million investment into an open-market style eatery withstunning architectural designs, high-tech lighting and videoscreens, and a completely revamped menu of more than 100food items. Thunder Falls Buffet officially opened to thepublic on December 21, just 10 days before Seneca NiagaraCasino reached its milestone 10-year anniversary.

“Today, a restaurant already regarded as the region’s bestbuffet has become even better,” said Barry E. Snyder, Sr.,president of the SenecaNation of Indians, at an unveiling event.

“Our award-winning culinary team has redefined what it meansto eat at a buffet, and locals and tourists alike will come to knowThunder Falls Buffet as a must-visit dining location whenvisiting the Niagara Falls region. More than a million peopledine at the buffet every year, and we fully anticipate thatnumber to increase.”

Thunder Falls Buffet will now feature more than 100 fooditems across six food stations – the Central Grille, Mediter-ranean, Asian, Pizza, Dessert and the Salad Bar – with a focuson healthy and ethnic dishes as well as classic comfortfood. The open-market design, created by interior designarchitectural firm SOSH and built under the leadership ofSeneca Construction Management Corporation, has a direct

Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel Opens Fabulous All-New Thunder Falls Buffet

expansion project that officially began on May 2, 2011.The newly expanded areas of the Hotel and Smoke ‘n Fire

restaurant are accessible to guests under the age of 21;however, access to the casino floor remains restricted to guests

21 years of age and older. Smoke ‘n Fire, FireKeepers CasinoHotel’s newest restaurant is located inside the resort-stylehotel and includes seating for up to 150 guests and featuresclassic American fare accented with BBQ undertones.

50 Indian Gaming January 2013

OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS

The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma recently celebrated theopening of the new entry road and bridge that will link thePawnee Nation of Oklahoma Reserve to U.S. 64.

“It’s great to see the new entry way that leads to our newLawEnforcement Center and the health clinic,” said PawneeBusiness Council (PBC) President Marshall Gover. “This hasbeen needed for many years due to the traffic flow around thearea where the many highways meet coming into Pawnee.Wewould like to thank those who have supported our efforts.”

The Pawnee Nation had discussed the need over the pastdecade to build a new entry into the Pawnee Nation Reserveto provide accessibility infrastructure for additional economicdevelopment projects, the PawneeNation College, the PawneeIndian Health Service Clinic, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, thePawnee Nation headquarters, and public safety services.

A PawneeNationDepartment of Transportation and Safetystudy determined that more than 3,000 vehicles utilizeexisting pathways into the Pawnee Nation Reserve daily withthe heaviest traffic count located over the green bridge onHarrison Street/Agency Road.

The PBC recognized the need for the New Entry Projectand approved its construction under the FY 2010 Depart-ment of Transportation and Safety planning process.

“This has been a long-term goal that has hadmany challengesto overcome during the past few years,” Gover said. “But, thePawnee Nation has been successful in overcoming theseobstacles and in the spirit of our ancestors, the Pawnees willcontinue to thrive proving that we are the Greatest Nation onearth.” �

Pawnee Nation Celebrates Opening of the New Entry Road and Bridge

connection to the nearby gaming floor and brings interactivecooking in front of guests.

“Together with our business partners andmore than 200 veryskilled local construction workers, we completely reconstructedThunder Falls Buffet from top to bottom in just a few shortmonths,” said Robert Mele, chairman of the Seneca GamingCorporation board of directors. “We’ve created an ultra-modern buffet that, in fact, looks and feels like an upscale restau-rant with a wide selection of delicacies for everyone to savor.”

With the new design, overall seating at Thunder FallsBuffet will increase from 420 to 500 seats. A unique wine andbeer display, large video screens and colored lighting will addto the interactive and exciting feel inside the restaurant. Inaddition, terrazzo floors, rich fabrics, intricately-lit buffetstations and a sound systemwithmusic are just some of the newfeatures that await guests.

The restaurant also promises guests an uncomplicateddining experience. Servers and chefs will be trained to accom-modate dietary needs such as sugar-free, low-sodium andgluten-free options. Different types of comfortable seating –such as booths, tables, and even a chef’s table – are located closeto the stations for added convenience and create uniquedining experiences for each visit. Kiosks located adjacent toentrances allow for seamless check-in and pre-payment.Altogether, Seneca Niagara Casino’s Food and Beverage Teamexpects to serve more than 80 people every 15 minutesduring peak hours.

The buffet’s dessert station will have its items made daily bystudents at Niagara County Community College’s new

Niagara Falls Culinary Institute nearby on Old Falls Streetdowntown. Seneca Gaming Corporation is a proud sponsorof the Institute, having donated $1.275 million to ensure theprogram’s success and offering students the opportunity to workalongside the Seneca Niagara Casino’s professionally-trainedchefs and culinary professionals.

“The world’s best casinos have superior buffets, and SenecaNiagara Casino &Hotel is no exception,” said CathyWalker,president and CEO, Seneca Gaming Corporation. “There isa world of flavors under one roof at Thunder Falls Buffet, andwe invite guests to visit and enjoy every one of them.”

VP David Kopasz and Executive Chef Gary McHale