Four Winds Casinos

Last updated
Four Winds Casinos and hotel
Industry Gambling
Headquarters,
Area served
Midwestern United States
Owner Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
Website www.fourwindscasino.com

The Four Winds Casinos are a set of casinos located in the states of Indiana and Michigan in the United States. The casinos are owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The primary property is located in New Buffalo Township, Michigan, with satellite locations in Hartford, Michigan; Dowagiac, Michigan; and South Bend, Indiana.

Contents

History

In 2007, as a federally recognized tribe, the Pokagon Band were able to develop and Four Winds New Buffalo on the Pokagon Reservation, in New Buffalo Township in accordance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and a compact with Michigan. [1] [2] A second, satellite casino, Four Winds Hartford, opened on August 30, 2011, [3] and a third, Four Winds Dowagiac, [4] opened April 30, 2013. [5] [6]

The band was limited to three casinos by its 2008 compact with the state of Michigan. It has since constructed a casino on lands that it claimed qualified for gaming pursuant to specific provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, in South Bend, Indiana. [7] The band announced plans in 2012 to build this 164-acre "tribal village", which includes housing, healthcare, and government facilities, and a casino and hotel. [8] Four Winds South Bend opened January 16, 2018. [9] [10] In 2022, the South Bend location expanded to 98,000 square feet and features 1900 slot machines on its gaming floor, the most in Indiana. [11] Four Winds South Bend's hotel opened March 1, 2023. [12]

Properties

Stained glass entryway of Four Winds New Buffalo in March 2008 Four Winds New Buffalo stained glass entry (4449891674).jpg
Stained glass entryway of Four Winds New Buffalo in March 2008

Four Winds Casinos includes these properties:

NameLocationOpenedNotes
Four Winds New Buffalo New Buffalo Township, Michigan August 2, 2007 [1] [2]
Four Winds Hartford Hartford, Michigan August 30, 2011 [3]
Four Winds Dowagiac Dowagiac, Michigan April 30, 2013 [6]
Four Winds South Bend South Bend, Indiana January 16, 2018 [9] [10]

Marketing

Entrance to Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium in July 2015 Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium Gate D closeup.JPG
Entrance to Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium in July 2015

The casinos utilize a loyalty program, known as the W♣ Players Club or simply the W Club. [13]

On September 5, 2013, a ten-year naming agreement between the casinos and what became known as the Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium was announced. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cass County, Michigan</span> County in Michigan, United States

Cass County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 51,589. Its county seat is Cassopolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berrien County, Michigan</span> County in Michigan, United States

Berrien County is a county on the south line of Michigan, at the southwestern corner of the state. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 154,316. The county seat is St. Joseph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dowagiac, Michigan</span> City in Michigan, United States

Dowagiac is a city in Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,879 at the 2010 census. It is part of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pokagon Township, Michigan</span> Civil township in Michigan, United States

Pokagon Township is a civil township of Cass County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,029 at the 2010 census. The township includes the unincorporated communities of Pokagon and Sumnerville, adjacent to each other on M-51.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Bend Cubs</span> American Minor League baseball team

The South Bend Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in South Bend, Indiana, and play their home games at Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leopold Pokagon</span>

Leopold Pokagon was a Potawatomi Wkema (leader). Taking over from Topinbee, who became the head of the Potawatomi of the Saint Joseph River Valley in Michigan, a band that later took his name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dowagiac River</span> River in Michigan, United States

The Dowagiac River is a southwesterly flowing 30.9-mile-long (49.7 km) stream in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is tributary to the St. Joseph River which flows, in turn, into eastern Lake Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potawatomi Zoo</span> Zoo in South Bend, Indiana, U.S.

The Potawatomi Zoo is a 23-acre (9.3 ha) zoological park located in South Bend, Indiana, United States. The Zoo is nestled in Potawatomi Park between the St. Joseph River and the Grand Trunk railroad in the east side neighborhood of River Park. Founded in 1921, it is Indiana's second-oldest Zoo. It features over 400 animals and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo has over 200,000 visitors each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians</span>

Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians are a federally recognized Potawatomi-speaking tribe based in southwestern Michigan and northeastern Indiana. Tribal government functions are located in Dowagiac, Michigan. They occupy reservation lands in a total of ten counties in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Pokagon</span>

Simon Pokagon was a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, an author, and a Native American advocate. He was born near Bertrand in southwest Michigan Territory and died on January 28, 1899, in Hartford, Michigan. Dubbed the "Red Man's Longfellow" by literary fans, Pokagon was often called the "Hereditary and Last Chief" of the tribe by the press. He was a son of his tribe's patriarch, Leopold Pokagon.

Four Winds may refer to:

The South Bend–Mishawaka Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as Michiana, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in northern Indiana and one in southwest Michigan (Cass), anchored by the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka in Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the MSA had a population of 319,224.

Indiana law authorizes ten land-based or riverboat casinos on Lake Michigan and the Ohio River, one land-based casino in French Lick, and racinos at the state's two horse tracks. In addition, there is one Indian casino in the state. Other forms of legal gambling are the Hoosier Lottery, parimutuel wagering on horse races, and sports betting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon</span> Historic church in Michigan, United States

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon is a historic church at 61041 Vermont Street in Pokagon Township, Michigan. It is the location of the first performance of the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross." The church was listed as a Michigan State Historic Site in 2000 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Winds Dowagiac</span> Casino in the United States

Four Winds Dowagiac is a 27,000-square-foot (2,500 m2) casino in Dowagiac, Michigan which opened on April 30, 2013. It is one of the Four Winds Casinos, which are all owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Winds New Buffalo</span> Casino and hotel in the United States

Four Winds New Buffalo is a casino, hotel and entertainment venue located in New Buffalo Township, Michigan, near New Buffalo, which opened on August 2, 2007. It is the primary property of Four Winds Casinos, which are all owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Winds Hartford</span> Casino in Hartford, Michigan

Four Winds Hartford is a 52,000-square-foot (4,800 m2) casino in Hartford, Michigan that opened on August 30, 2011. It is one of the Four Winds Casinos, which are all owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayoralty of Pete Buttigieg</span> Mayor of South Bend, Indiana

Pete Buttigieg served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana from 2012 to 2020. Elected in 2011 as a Democrat, he took office in January 2012 at the age of 29, becoming the second-youngest mayor in South Bend history, and the youngest incumbent mayor, at the time, of a U.S. city with at least 100,000 residents. During his mayoralty, he acquired the nickname "Mayor Pete". Coming out as gay in 2015, Buttigieg became the first elected official in Indiana to come out while in office, as well as the highest-ranking Indiana elected official to come out. Buttigieg won reelection in 2015. Buttigieg opted against running for reelection in 2019, instead launching a campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2020 United States presidential election.

References

  1. 1 2 Lauren Viera (25 November 2007). "New Buffalo casino brings a crowd to Harbor Country". Chicago Tribune . Turtle Talk. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
  2. 1 2 Tom Moor (1 July 2011). "Four Winds Casino expanding". South Bend Tribune . southbendtribune.com. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
  3. 1 2 Lersten, Andrew (29 December 2011). "Pokagon hold 'em in Hartford Township". The Herald-Palladium . heraldpalladium.com. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
  4. Haight, Debra (15 June 2012). "Pokagons Get the Green Light for Dowagiac Casino". The Herald-Palladium. heraldpalladium.com. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
  5. Jones, Al (2013-04-30). "Four Winds Casino Dowagiac is Launched: What Do You Think?". MLive.com . Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  6. 1 2 Haight, Debra (2013-05-01). "Third Four Winds Casino Opens in Dowagiac". Harbor Country News . Retrieved 2013-05-02.
  7. Whittlesey, Dennis J. (9 May 2015). "Should There be a Legislative Solution to Disputed Indian Trust Applications?". The National Law Review . Dickinson Wright PLLC. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  8. "Pokagon tribe proposes casino in South Bend". Post-Tribune . Gary. AP. August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  9. 1 2 Pierce, Melinda; Klinedinst, Jill (2018-01-16). "The Pokagon Band Of Potawatomi Indians Opens Four Winds Casino South Bend" (Press release). Four Winds Casinos. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  10. 1 2 Peterson, Mark (2018-01-16). "Thousands flock to Four Winds opening". WNDU-TV . Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  11. Carden, Dan (September 12, 2022). "South Bend casino now offers more slot machines than any other in Indiana". The Times of Northwest Indiana .
  12. Peterson, Mark (March 1, 2023). "South Bend Four Winds Casino Hotel officially opens". WNDU-TV . Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  13. "W Club Casino Players Club". fourwindscasino.com. Four Winds Casinos. Retrieved 2015-07-13.
  14. Lesar, Al (September 6, 2013). "Four Winds, Silver Hawks strike 10-year deal". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2015-07-13.