Four Winds Casino Resort marks a milestone

It seems like only yesterday that the Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Mich., hit the scene, making a big splash with the largest casino in the area at the time.

However, it may surprise you to know that the Four Winds is celebrating its one-year anniversary Sunday.

Four Winds has been offering fans 130,000 square feet of gaming space, 3,000 slots and a well-rounded selection of gaming space.

Add to that five restaurants, entertainment bars, retail venues and a 165-room hotel, and the amenities make Four Winds a premier destination in the Midwest for a variety of fans.

Four Winds officials will mark the occasion in a big way, with a number of giveaways and events, an official said.

One of those events will begin at noon Sunday when Four Winds will host a Heads Up Poker Challenge Invitational Freeroll Tournament.

The top 20 players on the leader board of hands played between July 1 and 31 will be among the players.

The winner will receive a PokerTek Heads Up Challenge Home Edition automated poker table, valued at $10,000.

The biggest event will take two days to stage, but it will be worth it for two lucky guests.

On Aug. 17 and 31, drawings will take place with the grand prize for each being a new Porsche Boxster, valued at more than $60,000.

Starting at 1 p.m. each drawing day, $10,000 in cash will be given away at various hours until it's time for the grand prize drawing at 8 p.m.

Players can earn entries through Aug. 31 by playing their favorite slots and table games with their W Club players card.

Double entries can be won by playing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

More information is available at the W Club players counter.

There also will be something special for W Club members.

A spokesman said they will be able to collect 2008 commemorative Four Winds wildlife bronze coins by earning 500 or more W Club points on a single day by playing their favorite slots and table games.

A black bear coin will be available from Aug. 10 to 19, a white-tailed deer coin will be available from Aug. 20 to 29, a mallard duck coin will be available from Aug. 30 to Sept. 8 and a lake trout coin will be available from Sept. 9 to 18.

Players who collect the first white-tailed deer coin also will receive a burgundy velvet display case that holds all four coins and the certificate of authenticity.

Although casinos have a reputation (and a reason for existence) of separating you from your money, the Four Winds may be in the same business but it also has a another purpose due to the fact it is owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.

Since opening the doors one year ago, Four Winds officials have provided more than $2.6 million in project funding to local charities and municipalities in the New Buffalo region through the Pokagon Fund, which is supported by 2 percent of Four Winds electronic gaming revenue.

"We're very proud of the impact that the Four Winds Casino Resort has had on the local community," Pokagon Band chairman John Miller said.

This includes the creation of thousands of jobs and donations to the Pokagon Fund, which is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of the residents in the New Buffalo region through the financial support of local governments, nonprofits, charities and other organizations.

Donations have included providing funds to the city of New Buffalo and New Buffalo Township for improvements to public parks, Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital for the expansion and rebuilding of its emergency facilities, and the Hartford Community Center for support of an after-school tutoring program.

"These are only a few of the nearly 70 projects funded to date," Miller said.

"It's been a tremendous first year for the Four Winds Casino Resort," Four Winds general manager Matt Harkness said.

"Since opening last year, Four Winds has awarded nearly $3 million to W Club members through our unique W Club jackpots and promotions, and more than $2.8 million through our wide-area progressive jackpots.

"Four Winds is the only casino in the region to feature wide-area progressive jackpots. We also have several promotions designed to reward our loyal customers as we celebrate our first anniversary."

It should be noted that "everyone wins at Four Winds, even when you don't," a spokesman said.

When one signs up for a new W Club membership, Four Winds will cover 25 percent of guests' slot losses, up to a $400 rebate, for the first week, just for joining.

The rebate will be loaded onto the guest's W--Club card as instant credit or free slot play, and he or she will be notified once it is active.

Guests can go back and play once they have received their notice that the instant credit or free slot play is available.

All week's play is concluded at the end of Sunday's gaming day.

More information about Four Winds Casino Resort or making reservations is at (866) 4-WINDS-1 or on at www.fourwindscasino.com