Casinos Deal a Winning Hand for Meetings

By Ronnie Wendt | Photo: Potawatomi Hotel & Casino © Visit Milwaukee

Casinos are always fun for a night out on the town. But these properties can also deal a winning hand for meetings and events. In fact, the gaming floor, conference rooms and entertainment spots in these venues can be an event planner’s ace in the hole when organizing a memorable event.

These spaces can present:

• Glamorous atmospheres often lacking in more traditional spaces
• Varied entertainment options, including live shows, concerts and performances
• On-site event services such as catering, audiovisual and planning
• Attached hotels or nearby accommodations
• Event spaces ranging from intimate meeting rooms to large ballrooms
• Team-building activities from blackjack tables to escape rooms

“A casino provides a rare opportunity for eventgoers who enjoy gaming and entertainment,” says Dave Abangan, group sales manager for Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells. “It’s pretty unique to have a casino attached to a convention center and hotel rooms. Factor in sensational entertainment and you have an event space that’s not like something you’d find anywhere else.”

WINNING WISCONSIN CASINOS

Wisconsin may be known for cheese, brats and beer, but the region’s casinos also make a name for the Dairy State. There is Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee, Ho-Chunk Gaming in Wisconsin Dells, Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Lake of the Torches Resort Casino in Lake du Flambeau, St. Croix Casino in Turtle Lake and Menominee Casino Resort in Keshena. All of these venues offer event spaces, whether on site or in partnership with an adjacent hotel, as with Oneida and the nearby Radisson Hotel & Conference Center.

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, a 19-story complex with 500 hotel rooms, is currently undergoing an extensive $190 million renovation to its gaming and restaurant areas. The renovation will include a Vegas-style Sports Book and is expected to be complete in 2024.

Meanwhile, Ho-Chunk Gaming is accelerating plans to open a new casino. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, the Ho-Chunk Nation has state and federal approval to build a $405 million casino in Beloit. The facility will have a convention center, a 300-room hotel, 2,200 slot machines, 50 table games and an indoor water park. As the new build moves forward, Ho-Chunk’s Wisconsin Dells location is also getting an update.

“We are investing in new audiovisual equipment at our convention center [in Wisconsin Dells],” says Abangan. “It’s time for us to add new technology that will be beneficial to meeting planners. We are reinvesting in our convention center to provide an even better experience for meeting planners going forward. All this will be done by 2024.”

Ho-Chunk Gaming, which operates six casinos in Wisconsin, isn’t the only one with expansion plans. St. Croix Casino has also announced upgrades. And the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin hopes to add a Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Kenosha in the future.

GATHERING SPACES

Meeting and event spaces are available to accommodate groups of many sizes at most of the casinos in the state. Whether it’s for a private party or corporate conference, casinos offer an ideal venue for gathering, regrouping or getting down to business. Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, for example, can accommodate groups from 10 to 2,000 people with over 60,000 square feet of meeting space.

Meanwhile, Ho-Chunk Gaming in Wisconsin Dells has 30,000 square feet of convention space, with two grand ballrooms and two executive boardrooms. “We can accommodate more than 90 trade show booths in our convention area and can host events from five to 10 people up to 1,500,” he says. “We are fortunate to have a lot of flexible space to hold small groups to large crowds.”

One unsung meeting secret at Ho-Chunk’s Wisconsin Dells’ location is its outdoor spaces, according to Abangan. “Our expansive parking lot and outside areas have been used many times for special events,” he says. “Recently, we had a gathering of three- wheeled motorcycle vehicles known as slingshots. They had several hundred vehicles and an expo in the parking lot. We also hosted a multiple sclerosis bicycling event and had around 500 people here riding routes that ranged from 25 to 75 miles. Our parking lot and grounds became their starting and end points for the ride. Our property is pretty diverse as far as events.”

Another advantage of hosting an event here is the casino, of course, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, attached to the casino is a hotel with 300 rooms, from conventional to executive, with breakout meeting rooms and space for small receptions.

“We recently completed a renovation and part of that initiative was to move our check-in desk closer to the rooms,” Abangan says. “We also built a lobby that is centrally located, and added a breakfast bar-type area between the hotel rooms, convention center and casino. It’s kind of a starting and stopping point for guests to use before and after their meetings.”

Being in Wisconsin Dells is also a plus. The lively community is already a popular tourist destination with plenty to offer, Abangan notes. “We are in a family-friendly area,” he says. “There are many people who come with their families to take advantage of the attractions while they are here.

“Mom or Dad can attend the meeting, while the other parent takes the kids and checks out the attractions. However, events here can also be an adults-only, grown-up getaways. We are fortunate to be able to provide both,” he says.

Green Bay is another popular city to hold meetings and the official casino of the Green Bay Packers is Oneida Casino. It offers thousands of slot machines, the most popular table games, a poker room and a bingo hall. The casino is also attached to the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, which boasts 30,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

BE ENTERTAINED

Casinos offer a plethora of recreational options. There’s always something to keep guests entertained, whether it’s music, comedy, gaming or special events. Furthermore, most casinos can help planners organize after-hours entertainment, whether a performance by the entertainers the casino brings in or a team-building event.

“Planners can look at our website to see the activities happening, be it live entertainment or promotions,” Abangan says. “We are happy to work with them to add the event to their planning. With the slingshot event, we purchased a slingshot for a giveaway and created a casino promotion for the night of the event. But we can also work with event organizers to get discounts on live event tickets, too.”

Ho-Chunk also partners with planners to devise team-building activities using resources in the local community. “Whatever the team- building activity they are looking for, we can accommodate it,” he says. “Besides using the amenities we offer here, there’s plenty available in the surrounding area. We can work with planners to make either of those options a reality.”

LET’S EAT

Most casinos offer a variety of food, including standard, healthy, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten- or allergen-free. Some have chefs available, while others collaborate with local caterers. For example, Ho-Chunk has a casual dining area in the casino that dishes up burgers and other American foods. But the property partners with a local Mexican restaurant to offer eventgoers authentic Mexican food, too.

“We also have a banquet menu available for meetings,” explains Abangan. “We can offer buffets and plated meals, appetizers, finger foods and more. Food and beverage are part of our process when an event planner books our space.”

When planners choose a casino for their event, the deck is stacked in their favor, according to Abangan. They don’t have to worry about a thing thanks to the access they have to everything they need for a successful event, including well-appointed event spaces, plenty of hotel rooms, top entertainment and delicious dining options.

Ronnie Wendt is a freelance writer based in Minocqua, Wisconsin.