FireKeepers: Hotel will be destination

EMMETT TOWNSHIP, Mich, (WOOD) - FireKeepers Casino officials hope the next time you visit, you will stay in the casino's new hotel.

The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi tribe officially cut the ribbon on a new 217-room hotel at 12:12 p.m. on Dec. 12, 2012.

Tribal leaders said the hotel was part of the plan when FireKeepers Casino opened in 2009 in Calhoun County. But they say they wanted to proceed slowly in an ever-changing marketplace.

"We are very happy to have the construction jobs and the permanent jobs to the facility, as well as the boost for the local economy," said Tribal Chairman Homer Mandoka.

With a traditional tribal welcome as a backdrop and in a very dimly-lit room, tribal leaders officially welcomed the first guests to the organization's most recent roll of the dice.

In its more than three years near Battle Creek, the casino has been successful. But drawing patrons from more than about an hour away has been limited.

"There was an expectation: 'Where is the hotel? When will that happen?' And that was happening from day one with the opening of the FireKeepers Casino," said Mandoka.

Now, with its 217 rooms -- including a presidential suite available to high rollers for a mere $750 per night on week days -- the tribe is hoping to stack the deck in its favor.

"So now we are going to start looking at larger regional destinations,"said Mandoka. "Lansing airport is 45 minutes away. Kalamazoo airport is 35 minutes away. That is not an unreasonable drive-time to go to a venue like this."

The decision to build the casino first and hotel second was a calculated one -- and the tribal chairman admits it was a risk.

 "We wanted to make sure that we were incremental with the economy," said Mandoka. "We just didn't want to go all-in. It's a scary economy if you have to perform in that nature."

It is a busy street where casinos are doing business these days. Four Winds Casino recently expanded its operation west on I-94 in Hartford in Van Buren County.

Now FireKeepers officials are hoping to prove again that if they build it, pleasure-seekers will come -- in any economy.

"They are still looking for entertainment even in a tough economy," said Mandoka. "They need that opportunity for escape and relax in an environment like this."

FireKeepers followed a fairly typical business model for casinos: Build the casino, build the brand, build the bank account and then build the hotel.

Gun Lake Casino near Wayland in Allegan County has said in the past that there was a hotel in its future, as well.

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